The Hindu : No plan for ceasefire: Fernandes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 18, 2003

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No plan for ceasefire: Fernandes

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR MAY 17. Asking the militants in Kashmir to shun the path of violence and come forward for talks, the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, today said that no proposal for a ceasefire was under consideration. He termed Pakistan's decision to release Indian prisoners a "big confidence building measure".

Talking to reporters here after attending a seminar on panchayati raj, Mr. Fernandes said he had in one way or the other been in contact with the separatist leaders of Kashmir in the last 14 years and "I have been telling them that by remaining away no problem can be solved". He urged the militants to shun the path of violence and join the mainstream and talk about the State's future. Violence would not help resolve any issue.

Welcoming Pakistan's decision to release some Indian prisoners, Mr. Fernandes said, "it is a big confidence building measure". "Earlier when we used to tell them (Pakistanis) to release the prisoners they would not even accept that there was anyone. Now they are sending them back, it is a good step." There was no Pakistani prisoner in any Indian jail so the question of releasing them did not arise.

Mr. Fernandes said the time for formal talks between the two countries was yet to come. First, the confidence on both sides needed to be restored, a conducive atmosphere should be created and only then could the dialogue process move ahead to resolve the issues between the two countries.

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