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India has no intention of complicating operations in Kabul: PM
Prime Minsiter Atal Bihari Vajpayee says India has no intention of complicating the current operations in Afghanistan but has a legitimate right to take whatever action it can to thwart and respond to Pakistan`s cross-border terrorism. US, India will fight terror together: Bush
Prime Minsiter Atal Bihari Vajpayee says India has no intention of complicating the current operations in Afghanistan but has a legitimate right to take whatever action it can to thwart and respond to Pakistan`s cross-border terrorism.
“We have already conveyed to the United States that we have no intention of complicating the current agenda and the operations in Afghanistan.” “We do, however, have a legitimate right to take whatever action we can in our country to thwart and respond to terrorism,” Vajpayee told an American newspaper.
Restraint, like dialogue, has to be a two-way process, Vajpayee said in response to written questions from the Washington Post. He said the war against terrorism will have to be fought on a global scale, against terrorist groups everywhere.
“Safe havens offered by some countries with shelter, resources, training camps and arms have helped terrorist groups to build up a worldwide web of terror networks, with its hub in our western neighbourhood,” the Prime Minister said. He said there is a strong, almost seamless link between the terrorist groups operating against India and the United States.
Therefore, if the aims of the war (against the al-Qaeda and Taliban) are to be achieved in full, the entire network will have to be destroyed, He said.
The strain in Indo-Pakistan relations figured prominently in the interview.
Vajpayee welcomed US decision to proscribe the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, Harakat-ul-Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba.
"This would have a salutary effect on other terrorist organisations targetting India," He added.
Vajpayee wished that us would succeed in persuading Pakistan to stop sponsoring terrorism against India. The killing of terrorists belonging to the Pakistan-based Harakat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) in Kabul came as no surprise to India, he said.
“We have known for a long time that groups such as the HuM which have been created by Pakistan`s intelligence services for terrorism in India, also have close links with the Taliban, he stressed adding Pakistan has been using the Taliban-controlled territories of Afghanistan for training and other support to terrorism directed against India. “The recent killing (of HuM terrorists) is merely an additional piece of evidence that highlights the close nexus between Pakistan, Pakistan-based terrorist groups and the Taliban,” Vajpayee said.
Asked whether the Bush administration shares Pakistan`s view that Kashmir issue is central to the Indo-Pakistani relationship and that the popular sentiments of Kashmiris must be taken more into account Vajpayee said All US administrations, past and present, have been aware of India`s position on Jammu and Kashmir. They have also been aware of the fact that the state has had elections regularly to elect the people`s representatives.
Vajpayee said, “The people of the state have suffered over the years from terrorist attacks which have claimed thousands of innocent lives. Thus, if there is a central issue in the India-Pakistan relationship, concerning Jammu and Kashmir, it is the cross-border terrorism which we have had to counter.” Asked what role he would like to see the US play in seeking a solution to the Kashmir issue, and in settling the border dispute between India and Pakistan, Vajpayee said. “The Simla Agreement and Lahore Declaration are bilateral agreements that have been freely entered into by both India and Pakistan.”
These are the cornerstones of our bilateral relations, and commit both countries to address all outstanding issues peacefully, through direct bilateral dialogue, he said adding, “There can be no place whatsoever for any third party involvement, in any aspect of our bilateral relations.”
“When two people can speak the same language, why should either side suddenly seek an interpreter?” he said. Asked about Bush administration`s appeal to both India and Pakistan to avoid escalating tension, vajpayee said, “The events of the recent years speak for themselves. We have always exercised restraint in the most difficult situations just as we have taken every initiative for dialogue with Pakistan.”
He said, “When Pakistani forces crossed the Line of Control in Kargil in 1999, we did not respond through attacks on their territory. When calls for jihad against India are made from Pakistan, we do not respond with similar offensive rhetoric.” In response to a question whether he was confident about the security of Pakistan`s nuclear weapons, Vajpayee said, “The question about the security of Pakistan`s nuclear weapons should be addressed to the Pakistan government. It is not for US to answer for them.’
“India has for years voiced serious concern about their nuclear weapon programme, its clandestine ways, their aims and ambitions, and the frightening identification of extremists and jihadis with those nuclear weapons,” he said.
It is to be hoped that the official Pakistani claims about the safety and security of their nuclear weapons would be backed by actions on the ground and safeguards against unauthorised access, He added. Asked about India`s nuclear weapons doctrine, Vajpayee said India`s nuclear doctrine is purely defensive. Our minimum credible deterrent is based on no-first-use of nuclear weapons. We do not want to get into any arms race and are fully committed to a unilateral moratorium on nuclear test explosions.
“Instability in Pakistan leading to unauthorised access to their weapons would certainly be a matter of grave concern. It is for this reason that India had suggested in Lahore in 1999 a set of nuclear CBMs (Confidence-Building Measures) to begin with. We re-emphasized this at the Agra Summit in July this year,” he said.
However, India has not received any indication of Pakistani willingness to respond, he added.
Asked about the firing along the LoC on the eve of US Secretary Colin Powell`s visit to India, Vajpayee said, “A large group of terrorists were making a bid to cross our border from the Pakistan side. We took action to stop them.” “We have had to resort to this step from time to time to prevent large-scale infiltration into India by terrorists from Pakistan,” He added.
Stating that Pakistan has not ended its sponsorship of cross-border terrorism in India, Vajpayee said Pakistan must realise that it cannot support the campaign against international terrorism on one hand while sponsoring terrorist groups in India on the other.
“India has the resolve, strength and stamina to resist this terrorism,” He added.
Vajpayee said, “We all understand that strong measures are needed to root out the scourge of terrorism. The Indian people are acutely aware that the campaign in Afghanistan can at best be only one phase in a much longer and more difficult campaign that has to be joined if terrorism is to be defeated.” Terrorism could not have acquired its current proportions without the active aid and abetment by countries who sponsor terrorism as instruments of foreign policy.
Asked how concerned he was about the stability of Musharraf`s government, Vajpayee said that as a neighbour of Pakistan, India has always been concerned at the direction in which Pakistan`s society has been moving.
Pakistan must realise that the sponsorship of groups practising terrorism and propagating extremist ideologies, eventually poses a threat to Pakistan`s own long-term stability, He added.
Bureau Report
“We have already conveyed to the United States that we have no intention of complicating the current agenda and the operations in Afghanistan.” “We do, however, have a legitimate right to take whatever action we can in our country to thwart and respond to terrorism,” Vajpayee told an American newspaper.
Restraint, like dialogue, has to be a two-way process, Vajpayee said in response to written questions from the Washington Post. He said the war against terrorism will have to be fought on a global scale, against terrorist groups everywhere.
“Safe havens offered by some countries with shelter, resources, training camps and arms have helped terrorist groups to build up a worldwide web of terror networks, with its hub in our western neighbourhood,” the Prime Minister said. He said there is a strong, almost seamless link between the terrorist groups operating against India and the United States.
Therefore, if the aims of the war (against the al-Qaeda and Taliban) are to be achieved in full, the entire network will have to be destroyed, He said.
The strain in Indo-Pakistan relations figured prominently in the interview.
Vajpayee welcomed US decision to proscribe the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, Harakat-ul-Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba.
"This would have a salutary effect on other terrorist organisations targetting India," He added.
Vajpayee wished that us would succeed in persuading Pakistan to stop sponsoring terrorism against India. The killing of terrorists belonging to the Pakistan-based Harakat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) in Kabul came as no surprise to India, he said.
“We have known for a long time that groups such as the HuM which have been created by Pakistan`s intelligence services for terrorism in India, also have close links with the Taliban, he stressed adding Pakistan has been using the Taliban-controlled territories of Afghanistan for training and other support to terrorism directed against India. “The recent killing (of HuM terrorists) is merely an additional piece of evidence that highlights the close nexus between Pakistan, Pakistan-based terrorist groups and the Taliban,” Vajpayee said.
Asked whether the Bush administration shares Pakistan`s view that Kashmir issue is central to the Indo-Pakistani relationship and that the popular sentiments of Kashmiris must be taken more into account Vajpayee said All US administrations, past and present, have been aware of India`s position on Jammu and Kashmir. They have also been aware of the fact that the state has had elections regularly to elect the people`s representatives.
Vajpayee said, “The people of the state have suffered over the years from terrorist attacks which have claimed thousands of innocent lives. Thus, if there is a central issue in the India-Pakistan relationship, concerning Jammu and Kashmir, it is the cross-border terrorism which we have had to counter.” Asked what role he would like to see the US play in seeking a solution to the Kashmir issue, and in settling the border dispute between India and Pakistan, Vajpayee said. “The Simla Agreement and Lahore Declaration are bilateral agreements that have been freely entered into by both India and Pakistan.”
These are the cornerstones of our bilateral relations, and commit both countries to address all outstanding issues peacefully, through direct bilateral dialogue, he said adding, “There can be no place whatsoever for any third party involvement, in any aspect of our bilateral relations.”
“When two people can speak the same language, why should either side suddenly seek an interpreter?” he said. Asked about Bush administration`s appeal to both India and Pakistan to avoid escalating tension, vajpayee said, “The events of the recent years speak for themselves. We have always exercised restraint in the most difficult situations just as we have taken every initiative for dialogue with Pakistan.”
He said, “When Pakistani forces crossed the Line of Control in Kargil in 1999, we did not respond through attacks on their territory. When calls for jihad against India are made from Pakistan, we do not respond with similar offensive rhetoric.” In response to a question whether he was confident about the security of Pakistan`s nuclear weapons, Vajpayee said, “The question about the security of Pakistan`s nuclear weapons should be addressed to the Pakistan government. It is not for US to answer for them.’
“India has for years voiced serious concern about their nuclear weapon programme, its clandestine ways, their aims and ambitions, and the frightening identification of extremists and jihadis with those nuclear weapons,” he said.
It is to be hoped that the official Pakistani claims about the safety and security of their nuclear weapons would be backed by actions on the ground and safeguards against unauthorised access, He added. Asked about India`s nuclear weapons doctrine, Vajpayee said India`s nuclear doctrine is purely defensive. Our minimum credible deterrent is based on no-first-use of nuclear weapons. We do not want to get into any arms race and are fully committed to a unilateral moratorium on nuclear test explosions.
“Instability in Pakistan leading to unauthorised access to their weapons would certainly be a matter of grave concern. It is for this reason that India had suggested in Lahore in 1999 a set of nuclear CBMs (Confidence-Building Measures) to begin with. We re-emphasized this at the Agra Summit in July this year,” he said.
However, India has not received any indication of Pakistani willingness to respond, he added.
Asked about the firing along the LoC on the eve of US Secretary Colin Powell`s visit to India, Vajpayee said, “A large group of terrorists were making a bid to cross our border from the Pakistan side. We took action to stop them.” “We have had to resort to this step from time to time to prevent large-scale infiltration into India by terrorists from Pakistan,” He added.
Stating that Pakistan has not ended its sponsorship of cross-border terrorism in India, Vajpayee said Pakistan must realise that it cannot support the campaign against international terrorism on one hand while sponsoring terrorist groups in India on the other.
“India has the resolve, strength and stamina to resist this terrorism,” He added.
Vajpayee said, “We all understand that strong measures are needed to root out the scourge of terrorism. The Indian people are acutely aware that the campaign in Afghanistan can at best be only one phase in a much longer and more difficult campaign that has to be joined if terrorism is to be defeated.” Terrorism could not have acquired its current proportions without the active aid and abetment by countries who sponsor terrorism as instruments of foreign policy.
Asked how concerned he was about the stability of Musharraf`s government, Vajpayee said that as a neighbour of Pakistan, India has always been concerned at the direction in which Pakistan`s society has been moving.
Pakistan must realise that the sponsorship of groups practising terrorism and propagating extremist ideologies, eventually poses a threat to Pakistan`s own long-term stability, He added.
Bureau Report