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Aseff resents

Rao's charge

against Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Aseff Ahmad Ali expressed strong resentment at the unwarranted and false accusations made against Pakistan by the Indian Prime Minister, Narasimha Rao during his address on the occasion of India's Independence Day.

The assertions of the Indian prime minister regarding Pakistan's alleged responsibility for the murder of a Norwegian tourist in India-held Kashmir, were not only baseless but highly irresponsible coming as they did from the chief executive of a country, he said in a statement issued here on Tuesday.

It was not expected that the holder of this high office would engage in such slanderous attacks in a vain attempt to divert attention from India's own failings.

The foreign minister recalled that the Government of Pakistan had time and again condemned kidnappings, taking of hostages and other acts of terrorism, whatever the circumstances. The prime minister and the Government of Pakistan had condemned the heinous act of mrder of an innocent tourist, he added.

The current kidnapping of the tourists in Indian-held Kashmir took place in highly suspicious circumstances. The outfit that claimed responsibility for the kidnapping is unknown. The area in which the kidnapping occurred has at least one group that operates under the direct control of Indian integlliegnce agencies, he said.

The object of the kidnappers is clearely to discredit the popular movement in Indian-held Kashmir. The regrettable attempt by the Indian prime minister to some-how pin the blame on Pakistan appears to fit into a familiar pattern of Indian tactics, the foreign minister added.

The Indian prime minister's offer of talks with Pakistan, while repeating its untenable claim that Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India, amounts to shutting the door on negotiations and is meant merely to appeal to the gallery, he said one is justified in asking that, if Prime Minister Rao and the Indian government have a closed mind on discussion of the core issue between the two countries, what is his offer to resume talks with Pakistan all about?

Pakistan has always expressed its willingness to resume meaningful and purposeful negotiations with India on the core issue and has time and again requested India to create a propitious climate for such negotiations. Prime Minister Rao's present statement appears to confirm that India is not ready for serious talks, he added.-APP