Date:25/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/25/stories/2006092515110100.htm

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"Joint mechanism to test Pakistan"

K.V. Prasad

"There is trust deficit in relations, but things cannot stand still"

NAINITAL: Defending the proposal to set up an anti-terror joint mechanism with Pakistan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday said its objective was to "test" how Islamabad would fulfil its responsibility towards fighting terrorism.

Denying the charge levelled by the Opposition that his Government had gone soft on terrorism, the Prime Minister said there was no change in policy. New Delhi had maintained that for the dialogue to move forward, Pakistan must ensure that its soil was not being used to spread terrorism in India.

"The objective [of joint mechanism] is to test how Pakistan fulfils its responsibility," Dr. Singh told a joint press conference here with Congress president Sonia Gandhi at the end of the two-day Congress Chief Ministers' conclave.

Responding to questions over charges by the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on the joint mechanism, Dr. Singh said "Nukta Chini [criticism] was not right and our approach against terrorism has not changed."

He said "misapprehensions" being expressed in various quarters over the proposal were "baseless." He admitted to a "trust deficit" in relations between New Delhi and Islamabad, but said things cannot stand still.

Dr. Singh said even his predecessor Vajpayee had invited Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf in 2001 to Agra after the Kargil experience. Subsequently, even after the attack on Parliament, he shook hands with General Musharraf in Nepal and later visited Islamabad in 2004. Dr. Singh said he believed that the two countries would have to find ways and means to resolve all problems, including State-sponsored terrorism and other issues. "We are willing to discuss all issues," he said.

The Prime Minister said he had a good meeting with Gen. Musharraf in Havana and decided to go ahead with the composite dialogue covering all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir. "We have repeatedly said our approach is such that we can't think of redrawing boundaries. General Musharraf said he cannot accept permanency of the LoC [Line of Control]. We have to find ways and means and discuss if via media can be found," he said. The Prime Minister also ruled out the proposal of having a ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir, a suggestion that was mooted by State Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad sometime ago.

Referring to the talks with the United Liberation Front of Asom, Dr. Singh said the Government was all for discussing the issue but preconditions must be met.

As regards internal security and terrorist attacks, he said while the Government was as prepared as it could be, there was always a scope for improvement. On criticism about the way Shivraj Patil was handling the Union Home Ministry and whether there was a move to replace him, Dr. Singh said he was satisfied with the functioning of the Ministry.