20000206

India may raise tension

along LoC if Clinton skips

visit to Pakistan: says CE

MUZAFFARABAD: Chief Executive Gen. Pervez Musharraf on Saturday said that India may feel encouraged to raise tension at the Line of Control (LoC) if US President Bill Clinton skipped Pakistan from his planned trip to South Asia next month.

"There are indications that India may get encouraged and raise ante against Pakistan. It may raise tension along the Line of Control. There is a danger for that," he told reporters in an informal talk after addressing Kashmiri refugees at the Ambore camp.

Gen. Musharraf said that the US President must visit Pakistan and India for the sake of regional peace and interest. "It would be in the interest of peace of the region that he must visit Pakistan and India."

"I know he (President Clinton) is for the peace in this region. He wants to contribute towards the peace in this region as he has done in case of Ireland, Kosovo, Bosnia and Middle East," said Gen. Musharraf.

Kashmir is the conflict. The US President should come to Pakistan and India and contribute towards the resolution of this problem", he said.

The Chief Executive said it would be regrettable if the US President did not include Pakistan in his itinerary. "It would be regrettable if his visit to South Asia, instead of contributing towards peace which he desires, contributes towards tension in the region. That would be then counter-productive.", he said.

Gen. Musharraf reiterated his call for unity among the Kashmiri groups engaged in freedom movement against Indian rules. "Their overall objective is common. They are struggling for one common goal and that is their right to self-determination. Therefore they should get united," he maintained.

Responding to a question that how the solution to long-running Kashmir problem was possible, Gen. Musharraf said, "It can be resolved with determination and sincerity."

"I am prepared to show sincerity and urge Indian leaders to also reciprocate with sincerity."

The Chief Executive said, "sincerity on the part of leadership of the two countries is important. If they are sincere then they can take masses along them."

At the moment, he said, the Indian leaders are not showing sincerity to resolve this problem. But, he hoped, that they would soon realise, "the futility of raising tension and hysteria in the region and would come to the negotiating table to resolve this crisis."

He denied Indian accusations that Pakistan has pumped fake currency to weaken Indian economy. "They always spread such disinformation. We are not indulged in such activity," said the CE.

Responding to a question, Gen. Musharraf said that it would be unfair to equate the Kashmiri freedom struggle with terrorism. "The Mujahideen are fighting for their right to self-determination. This struggle has nothing to do with terrorism as their right has been enshrined in the UN resolutions and it is in accordance with the UN charter," said Gen. Musharraf.

He said he had apprised US senators and other foreign dignitaries about the freedom movement which was envisaged in the UN charter. "I urged them to differentiate between freedom struggle and terrorism. The Kashmiri freedom fighters are not doing anything absurd or out of line. Their movement is in line with UN charter," he added.

Gen. Musharraf said that there might be splinter groups or misguided persons who might have indulged in undesirable acts like hijacking of planes or bomb blasts to earn bad name for the freedom struggle. "Real freedom fighters do not indulge in such activities."

In response to another question, Gen. Musharraf said, "I would launch crackdown on terrorism, wherever it takes place and whichever party, group or organisation does it."

He blasted India for carrying out state terrorism against innocent Kashmiri people. "They have dumped 700,000 troops in occupied Kashmir who are committing heinous crimes against men, women and children. It is state terrorism. It ought to be stopped."

Asked whether there was any danger of full-fledged war between Pakistan and India, Gen. Musharraf said, "I am sure the two countries are mature enough to understand that war will be detrimental to both of them particularly when there are nuclear overtones in the region. I am pretty sure it (war) is not aim of anyone of the two countries."

Replying to a question, he said Pakistan is extremely responsible as far as the handling of strategic assets is concerned and referred to his government's recent decision to establish strategic command and control authority. "Whatever strategic assets we have, they are under watertight and excellent control. There is no ad hocism."

He said the government of Pakistan wanted to tell the world that it would follow all international regimes in this regard.

Responding to a supplementary question on Indian failure to set up control and command system, he said, the world should ask them about this. "They should feel more threatened from India than Pakistan."

He said Indian Nuclear Doctrine was highly offensive in nature.

Earlier Gen. Musharraf has rejected any dialogue with India without including Kashmir issue and said that Kashmir is the main issue and only point of tension between India and Pakistan and without resolving this issue peace is not possible in the region. "With solution to Kashmir all outstanding issues will be resolved", he said.

Answering the questions of International and national press, he said India must recognise Kashmir as disputed territory and respond the positive initiatives of Pakistan to resolve this oldest dispute through a result-oriented dialogue.

He said "India has always adopted non-serious attitude in Kashmir issue, which had brought the region at the brink of disaster". India very soon will realise the importance of the political solution to Kashmir issue, he added.

He expressed his concern over the state terrorism perpetrated by India in occupied Kashmir and said that India wants to suppress the just struggle for the freedom of Kashmir by using brutal force.

Gen. Musharraf called upon international community to use their influence in holding plebiscite in Kashmir under the aegis of United Nations to enable the Kashmiris to their future status through their free will. "When referendum can be held in East Timor, why the same principle cannot be applied in Kashmir which is a recognised disputed territory," he asked.

He said Pakistan would continue to lend diplomatic, moral and political support to the people of Kashmir adding the hearts of the people of Pakistan throb with the hearts of their Kashmiri brethren.

Gen Musharraf predicted that the day is not far off when the Kashmiri people will achieve their long cherished goal Ñ their inalienable right to self-determination.ÑAPP/PPI