The Hindu : What did the PM mean?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 30, 2003

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What did the PM mean?

By Amit Baruah

MUNICH May 29. What did the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, mean when he used the word ``retire'' in an interview he gave to the German magazine, Der Speigel?

To a question by The Hindu whether he would ``retire'' from his third peace-making bid with Pakistan if this initiative, too, failed, Mr. Vajpayee said in Hindi: ``I used it for myself''. Then he flashed a smile before getting into his car at the Munich airport.

In his interview, the Prime Minister was asked: ``You have said this is your last peace initiative (with Pakistan). And if it fails...'' Mr. Vajpayee replied: ``Then I have to accept my defeat, then I retire.'' There was no amplification whether this meant ``retiring'' from the peace effort or from political life.

The television channels made his remarks into a ``big story''. Mr. Vajpayee's clarification made in a lighter vein, did not throw any greater light either.

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