The Hindu : Change views on terrorism, Advani tells Pak.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 17, 2003

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Change views on terrorism, Advani tells Pak.

On Board Special Aircraft May 16. Expressing the hope that India's third peace initiative would have some "scope" in the present international climate, the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, today said India was not asking Pakistan to change its views on Kashmir but on terrorism.

Citing the Agra summit where the two countries had decided to talk on all issues including Kashmir, he said, "today also I want to emphasise that we are not asking them to abandon their views on Kashmir but change their views on terrorism". Mr. Advani was talking to reporters accompanying him on a day-long visit to Mumbai.

Asked whether India's third peace attempt would become yet another still-born child like the Lahore and Agra summits, he replied in the negative. The latest initiative had a scope due to various reasons one of which was that the states sponsoring terrorism would find it difficult to continue on their path due to the international climate.

Reacting to the statements made by Pakistani leaders in the recent past that there was no change in their attitude to Kashmir, Mr. Advani said India had acknowledged that there was a basic difference of views between the two countries on Kashmir. New Delhi wanted to see a change in Islamabad's views on terrorism, he said adding that the latter had been emphasising that peace could not be established between the two countries due to only one reason — Kashmir.

During the Agra summit, he had told Pakistan's President, Pervez Musharraf, that dialogue was the only way that both countries should look for as a solution to resolve all the issues including Kashmir and not through use of war — both direct and proxy. "Today also I am emphasising the same."

The two countries could have serious differences on Kashmir but could pledge that they would not hold peace to ransom. "For which we will hold talks and see where we can go," he said.

According to India's Constitution, Jammu and Kashmir did not mean only the areas of Jammu, Kashmir and Leh, Mr. Advani said. It also meant the area occupied by Pakistani forces in 1947.

Pointing out that Pakistan had been created from Muslim-dominated areas, he said, "may be that feeling is still there among the people of Pakistan (regarding Kashmir) and they feel that what was happening (Kashmir being with India despite having a Muslim majority) was not justified."

Turning to his visit to the United States beginning on June 8, Mr. Advani said, "the last time I was in the U.S., it was in the backdrop of (the) December 13 attack on Parliament. The coming visit is going to be a follow-up visit during which I will take up incidents of terrorism which happened in the country in the last one year."

Asked whether Pakistan was likely to be discussed, he said that "it will be part of the talks". — PTI

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