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NEW DELHI, July 4: Tiger Hill, the 4660 metre strategic mountain position from which Pakistani soldiers dominated the Srinagar-Leh highway in Drass sector, was recaptured after a surprise three pronged attack launched by the 18 Grenadiers, an army spokesman said here today. "Absolutely.. The Indian flag is right on top", Army spokesman Col Bikram Singh said as he announced the success of the biggest, and most important, operation of the Indian army in the ongoing Kargil conflict. President K R Narayanan hailed the recapture of Tiger Hill and said it was a moment of great pride and satisfaction for the entire nation. "We applaud the unparalled bravery, perseverance and commitment of our soldiers—young officers and jawans—who have made this achievement possible", Mr Narayanan said. Tiger Hill was taken during the night operations which began yesterday. With its capture, the eviction of the infiltrators from other positions in Drass sector will be facilitated, Col Singh said. "The attack was launched along three unexpected approaches, which completely surprised the enemy. As per the last reports received from troops in contact, mopping up operations on Tiger hill top are still in progress". Col Singh said "we have got the top but in the periphery certain pockets of intrusion are still there. The mopping up operations is to evict them from there". In other operations in Batalik and Drass sectors during the past 24 hours, one officer, Capt M K Pandey of 11 Gorkha Rifles, and 11 jawans were killed taking the toll in the Kargil conflict to 252. A large number of casualties were also inflicted on the Pakistan army which was being assessed. Replying to a question whether the National Highway 1A was now fully clear from enemy target, Col Singh said at certain places observation was still left but these would be cleared soon. He said Tiger Hill could be the turning point of the conflict which began on May 8 as it would facilitate eviction of the Pakistan army intruders and militants from other areas. "There is euphoria about it being captured as it was the most significant position held by the enemy", he said. The 18 Grenadiers won a citation from the Chief of Army Staff for this exceptionally gallant and sterling performance and for the recapture of Tololing on the night of May 27-28, Point 4590 on June 11-12 and Three Pimples on June 28-29. The Indian Air Force also, rightly, took credit for the victory at Tiger Hill. It had carried out some devastating air strikes on two enemy camps located on top of Tiger hill which severely degraded the capability of the intruders to sustain their forces on the dominating hill feature. Just a couple of days ago, the Air Force once again devastated an enemy supply camp just 2.5 kms west of Tiger hill, Group Capt D N Ganesh, Joint Director of Air Operations, said at the briefing. He said one of the key factors of air operations in the mountains was that the effect of relentless air strikes took time to manifest itself on the ground. "The fall of Tololing ridge was one such example when three weeks of coordinated air strikes and ground action resulted in the joint aim being accomplished with eviction of the enemy from the area. Today, with the fall of Tiger Hill this achievement underscores, once again, the essence of joint Army-Air Force operations". He said the crippling effect of these attacks was apparent in the success achieved by the jawans on the ground who in the face of stiff resistance by the enemy continued to achieve the objective. The Gp Capt said air strikes were carried out against a supply camp of the infiltrators in Kaksar area today afternoon, the first attack during the last two days. Due to extensive clouding there were no air strikes last night though IAF missions did take off and proceed to the target area both last night as well as this morning. No air strikes were envisaged in the Drass sector due to the proximity of Indian troops. Indian troops had seized all the ridges around Tiger hills and cut off the enemy supply line. Air Force combat jets had pounded the two enemy supply camps atop Tiger Hills with devastating effect till Friday afternoon before ground troops launched the final assault, an Air Force spokesman said. IAF fighters had also hit another supply camp 2.5 kms west of this lone conical feature in the Mushkoh valley. Air strikes were resumed after 48 hours this afternoon and an enemy supply camp in Kaksar area bombarded, he said. While mopping up operations were being carried out in Tiger Hills, Pakistan army continued unprovoked artillery and mortar shelling in Keran, Poonch, Krishnaghati, Bhimbergali, Nowshera and Akhnoor areas. Reports of fierce battle came in from Batalik where one position was cleared of the intruders by the Indian troops and large quantities of arms and ammunition including heavy machine guns, universal machine guns, G-3 and AK rifles and their ammunition recovered from this position. Two radio sets and Pakistani Rupees 5548 were also recovered. In the last 24 hours, Capt M K Pandey of 11 Gorkha Rifles and 11 jawans laid down their lives in Drass and Batalik sectors, while large number of intruders were killed. Col Avtar Singh, Colonel General Staff of Kargil Divisional Headquarters, told PTI that 13 enemy soldiers were killed in the operations in Batalik. Since May 4 when ‘Operation Vijay’ was launched, at least 150 Pakistani armymen and mercenaries have been killed only in Batalik sector. The operations in Batalik were going on in mountains ranging from 5000 to 6000 metres which were situated between the Indus river and Ladakh region. He said searches were on and the Indian troops were taking stock of what had been left behind by the Pakistani regulars and mercenaries in the positions they were holding till now. Asked if any prisoners of war had been taken in the Tiger Hills operations, the spokesman said the moment we have details, we will share with you. He said the morale of the enemy was pretty low mainly due to the privations they had been facing since the Indian armed forces had succeeded in almost blocking the lines of supplies. There is a growing feeling of resentment among the troops of the Northern Light Infantry (of Pakistan) that they were being made scapegoats and used as cannon fodder in these operations, he said. Meanwhile an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said at the briefing that there was not the slightest sign on the ground that the Pakistani soldiers were withdrawing. They were continuing to make desperate attempts to keep the intruders supplied in the residual areas. Intelligence reports, Col Singh said revealed that the soldiers of the Northern Light Infantry, facing shortage of medicines, arms and ammunition and other supplies were in very low morale as they had the feeling that they were being made scapegoats. (Agencies) |
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Military
action to continue with full force NEW DELHI, July 4: India today rejected Pakistan’s fresh offer for a dialogue to resolve the Kargil crisis and declared that till Islamabad pulled back its army regulars and mercenaries from the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC) "our military action will continue with full force". "It is clear that what is required is not dialogue but complete withdrawal of Pakistan’s aggression and return to the status quo ante on the LoC," an External Affairs Ministry spokesman said in response to a question. Pakistan Government’s call for "dialogue" was a "blatant attempt to obscure, conceal and divert attention" from the fact that it had committed the armed intrusion, violated the LoC in Kargil and breached the 1972 Simla accord as well as bilateral trust, he stressed. To a question, he said "there is not the slightest sign that Pakistani authorities are taking necessary steps" to withdraw its troops and extremist elements from the Indian side of the LoC. On reported remarks by US Ambassador to Pakistan William B Milam that "some flexibility" had been shown on Kargil by Pakistan, he said Islamabad had not given any such indication to New Delhi. Official sources said India was sceptical of the so-called peace initiatives being taken by Pakistan. In the first instance, Pakistan denied that it was in any manner involved in the Kargil intrusion. Contradictory statements from Pakistani leaders started emanating at this stage. Thereafter, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif despatched his Foreign Minister Sartaz Aziz to India for talks on Kargil."If they were not involved in the incursions, what did they want to talk about? Islamabad’s bluff was again called when the body of a militant killed by Indian troops in the operations was taken to his hometown in Rawalpindi draped in the Pakistani flag at the behest of Army Chief Pervez Musharraf, the sources pointed out. Pakistan’s involvement became evident as daylight when documents were recovered from the bodies of army regulars which were accepted back by Pakistani military authorities. The spokesman said "Pakistan is continuing what is a full-fledged military operation, involving the Pakistan army as well as terrorists and extremists under Pakistan’s management and control". He said Islamabad was also continuing to replenish their forces with logistical support, provided from supply bases and communication routes from across the LoC. Holding Islamabad squarely responsible for the "deliberate, planned aggression," the spokesman said the dialogue call was nothing but another instance of "sophistry in keeping with Pakistan’s longstanding deception and propaganda". He said while India’s action for evicting the armed intrusion and aggression was progressing steadily, Pakistan was "desperately attempting to hold on to residual areas on our side of the LoC still under their occupation". He said "in this situation, our military action will continue with full force until the aggressors are cleared from our side of the LoC and status quo ante fully restored. Pakistan must fully accept its responsibility and recognise the futility of its misadventure. It must pull back its regulars and mercenaries without delay." (PTI) |
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India won’t use
n-weapons first NEW DELHI, Jul 4: The United States has assured India that there would neither be any mediation on its part on Kargil nor any internationalisation of the Kashmir issue, Prime Minister’s Principal Adviser Brajesh Mishra said today. "We have received assurances from the US at the highest level that there will be no mediation, no internationalisation. We have to take it at face value," he told Star News. Asked about Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif’s mission to Washington to meet US President Bill Clinton, he said "if Sharif has gone to get anything from the US which Washington can offer, fine, let him get it. But there can be no commitment from our side". To a question, he said it would be a mistake to think that the international community was suggesting that the Line of Control (LoC) should be converted into an International Border. "For the first time, the international community is saying (telling Pakistan) withdraw (your forces), restore the sanctity of the LoC and re-initiate the Lahore process," he said. Pressed further, he said this issue had not been considered by the Government at all. "We don’t think we should talk about the LoC at a time when we are also saying we are prepared to sit down with Pakistan and discuss the issue of Jammu and Kashmir which is one of the items on the composite dialogue between the two countries". To a question, Mishra said it was very difficult to give a time-frame for vacating the intrusions in Kargil but "my hunch is that .... Before the onset of winter, we will be able to get them (infiltrators) out". Government, he said, had not set any deadline for the army. "It is for them to decide how to conduct the operations." He said there were still some heights with the intruders which had to be taken back. Also, India had to take note of the fact that replenishments of men and equipment were continuing from supply camps for the infiltrators. On US President Bill Clinton’s invitation to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to visit Washington at an early date, he said the Indian leader conveyed that it was impossible to leave the country at this stage. He was hopeful that after the Clinton-Sharif talks, India would be apprised of what has happened. On former Pakistan Foreign Secretary Niaz A Naik’s secret mission to Delhi at the behest of Sharif, Mishra said Naik had "perhaps jumped the gun" when he stated in an interview that Pakistan was ready to withdraw its forces when apparently no decision to this effect had been taken by Islamabad. "We have no indication on the ground of any withdrawal," he observed, adding the day replenishments were stopped for the infiltrators, clear signs of Pakistan’s desire of pulling back its troops would be evident. Meanwhile, Mr Mishra today said India would not be the first to use the nuclear weapons against anyone but if some lunatic tries to do something against us we are prepared for that eventuality. Describing statements from Pakistan that Islamabad was contemplating exercising the nuclear option as highly irresponsible, he said it borders on lunacy to talk about nuclear weapons in this situation. We will not shed our doctrine. That we will not be the first to use nuclear weapons. But if some lunatic tries to do something against us, we are prepared for that eventuality, Mishra said in an interview to ‘Eenadu TV’. The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister agreed that the reaction of countries like the United States and China to the Kargil issue was guided by their own interests but said very often interests coincide. If China wants peace and stability in border areas, in the countries bordering China, that also coincides with my interests. Similarly, if G-8 and other feel that this conflict, if it escalates, may become a danger to the international community, again it is a coincidence of interests with my interests, an ETV release quoted Mishra as saying. Asked why New Delhi was indulging in secret diplomacy when its army was fighting a battle on the borders, he said diplomacy never stopped and that it must continue even in worst of circumstances. After all our objective is to get these intruders away from our side of LoC... And this can be achieved through the action of armed forces and through diplomatic channels, he said. About the charges that the Vajpayee Government was indulging in back-channel diplomacy, Mishra said such diplomacy had been going on under various Prime Ministers. It is not something new. It has happened before under more than one Prime Minister. It will continue, he said, adding that back-channel diplomacy is part of diplomatic efforts which a country undertakes with regard to problems it wants to solve. Denying that R K Mishra, editor of a newspaper group, accompanied by an official of the Ministry of External Affairs had visited Pakistan on the initiative of the Government, he said If he (official) happened to be on the same plane on which Mr Mishra... And I don’t know whether this is true or not... That is mere coincidence. Mishra claimed that the international community appreciated the sincerity of India for solving bilaterally and peacefully problems between India and Pakistan. Now, every country is saying go back to Lahore process but after restoration of status-quo-ante, he said. About former Minister of State for Defence Arun Singh’s appointment in the External Affairs Ministry, he said Singh had offered his services to the Ministry which consulted various people before appointing him special executive assistant in honorary capacity. (PTI) Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, July 4: Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah today visited Ari village in Mendhar tehsil to personally condole the brutal massacre of nine members of two families the other day. He was accompanied by the Minister for Agricultural, Mr Nissar Ahmad Khan, Minister for Sheep Husbandry, Mr S S Salathia and Director General of Police, Mr Gurbachan Jagat. Consoling the wailing mourners of the killed civilians, the Chief Minister said they were not alone at this tour of grief as sympathies of all the people of the State were with them. He announced the ex-gratia relief of Rs one lakh to the next of the kin of the bereaved families and job. Talking to a large number of mourners the Chief Minister condemned the brutal act and said this demonstrates the level of frustration of the militant's rank and file who have not even spared the women and children. He said the killers will not go on unpunished for this most barbaric and inhuman act. He asked the people to be vigilant against the perpetrators of violence and said the security environment will be buffered and village committees strengthened. |
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PM turns down Clinton’s invitation to visit US NEW DELHI, July 4: US President Bill Clinton on Saturday invited Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to visit Washington at an early date for discussions apparently on the Kargil situation but the Indian leader expressed his inability to undertake it at this stage. Clinton, who spoke to Vajpayee last night, extended the invitation during his 10-minute conversation. The Prime Minister said it would not be possible for him to accept this kind of invitation for the present and not convenient at this stage, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman told reporters. In response to questions, the spokesman said the US leader’s invitation was bilateral in nature and had no relation whatsoever to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Washington. Clinton informed the Prime Minister about his telephonic conversation with Sharif. A White House spokesman said in Washington Sharif requested a meeting and I would assume he is bringing some ideas on how to resolve the current situation. New Delhi has made it clear that there is no question of having talks with Islamabad till Pakistan pulls back its troops and extremist elements from Indian side of Line of Control. Clinton, who has been conferring with the two premiers on the issue, has ruled out US mediation. Washington has been maintaining that the issue has to be resolved bilaterally by India and Pakistan. Asked whether the US President had given indication of any Pakistani proposal to withdraw its troops and mercenaries, the spokesman declined to give any further details of the Clinton-Vajpayee talks. "There is nothing more at the moment. Details of such conversations are privileged information," he said. In hard-hitting remarks, the spokesman when asked whether Pakistan had contacted India in the last 24 hours, said Islamabad’s call for a dialogue was a "blatant attempt to obscure, conceal and divert attention... And to buy time." Terming it as "another instance of sophistry in keeping with Pakistan’s long-standing deception and propaganda", he said while Islamabad was passing itself off as "reasonable" and "peace-loving", it was "in fact responsible for deliberate, planned aggression." He stressed that "what is required is not dialogue but complete withdrawal of Pakistan’s aggression and return to the status quo ante". To a question, he said "there is not slightest sign on the ground that Pakistan authorities are taking the necessary steps for this purpose." The spokesman said while the operations of the Indian forces for evicting the armed intrusion and aggression was progressing steadily, "Pakistan is desperately attempting to hold on to residual areas on our side of the Line of Control (LoC) still under their occupation". Pakistan, he noted, was continuing "what is a full-fledged military operation, involving the Pakistan army as well as terrorists and extremists under Pakistan’s management and control. "They are also continuing to replenish their forces with logistical support, provided from supply bases and communication routes from across the LoC." Asserting that in this situation India’s military action "will continue with full force", the spokesman said "Pakistan must fully accept its responsibility and recognise the futility of its misadventure. It must pull back its regulars and mercenaries without delay and fully restore the status quo ante on the LoC." He said "we must not loose sight of the basic fact that Pakistan has committed armed intrusion and aggression against India, violating the Line of Control in the Kargil sector and breaching the Simla agreement as well as bilateral trust. "The whole world has recognised this and has emphasised that in order to end the present tension and conflict, Pakistan must end its aggressive activity." Asked whether Pakistan was engaged in some sort of a face-saving option, he shot back "that is their problem, not not ours. The bottomline is that they have to go back". (PTI) |
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Pak troops being pushed
to LoC KURUKSHETRA (HARYANA), July 4: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today said it was time to set aside political differences and work towards throwing out Pakistan-backed infiltrators in Kargil. A war has been thrust on us and our aim should be to retain our territory which has been taken by the enemy. Our armed forces have achieved success and the enemy is being pushed closer to the Line of Control, he told a meeting of party workers here. The Prime Minister who was here to attend a function to mark the birth centenary celebrations of Bharat Ratna Gulzari Lal Nanda, said the country had achieved tremendous success in the Kargil operations. Our jawans are achieving success in Kargil and I want to give this news to you, he said amidst thunderous applause. To win a war, a nation has to remain united and this is what is happening, he said. He said the enemy was getting frustrated as they were being pushed closer to the Line of Control and this was evident from their actions. Vajpayee said the BJP-led Government did not want to indulge in politics at this time and keeping this in view, he had taken all political parties into confidence and kept them informed of the latest developments on Kargil. I have been holding regular meetings with opposition parties and have taken them into confidence on the matter and all decisions are taken in a democratic manner, he said. As a war has been thrust on us, we have to take it to its logical conclusion and the entire nation’s strength and resources are needed for doing so, he said. On the coming Lok Sabha elections, he said our first aim should be to win the war and there is no need of worrying about the elections. He said the defence forces were making immense sacrifices for the country and BJP workers could contribute their bit by informing people about the ongoing conflict and holding meetings and providing support to the families of those soldiers who have been killed in battle. He said the nation was passing through a testing time and with the jawans facing trying conditions, nothing should be said which would demoralise them. Vajpayee was confident that the nation would emerge victorious from the present conflict having faced similar tests earlier. Earlier, at the function to mark the birth centenary celebrations of Nanda, the Prime Minister said Nanda was the embodiment of honesty, truth, discipline and righteousness —the qualities were lacking in contemporary world. He said Nanda all along fought against corruption and it was during his tenure as Home Minister that bodies like the Vigilance Committee, Department of Public Grievances and Administrative Reforms were set up to root out corruption. Recalling the contribution of Nanda towards economic development, Vajpayee said he always advocated involvement of the people in successful implementation of development schemes. The Prime Minister announced a sanction of Rs 50 lakh for the development of Brahm Sarovar and said it was prepared to give more assistance in this regard. He said Nanda always stood for workers and emphasised on the need to involve them in the management of mills. (PTI) |
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‘ISI may try to disrupt J&K communication line’ JALANDHAR, July 4: Punjab Police has information that the Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan might try to disrupt the line of communication between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the country. State Police Chief Sarbjit Singh talking to mediapersons after inaugurating the new building of Kartarpur Police Station said, our top priority is to keep the line of communication open through our state between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the country. Asked if this anticipation was based merely on the basis of empirical assessment, the State Police Chief said "it is an empirical estimate based on hard intelligence information". He said while the railway police were alert to ensuring smooth run of military specials through the state, Panjab Police had taken measures to keep other lines of communication open. The State Police Chief replied in the affirmative when asked if ISI was also trying to activate Khalistani elements to create trouble in the state, adding "Khalistani are making determined attempts"to create problems. He said arrest of Babbar Khalsa Internation (BKI) activist by Faridkot police yesterday and disclosure of his links with two BKI terrorists arrested by Delhi Police was a pointer to such attempts. Asked to comment on the visit of former Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh to Germany where many fugitives from Punjab were operating in tandem with ISI agents, Mr Sarbjit Singh said "we are not alarmed "over his visit to Germany as he was free to travel anywhere. Asked if his silent departure from the country pointed to failure of intelligence agencies, he said "we are not tailing him". Mr Sarbjit Singh said ISI in any case had been scouting for fugitives from Punjab in European countries for recruitment for quite sometime and hence there was o cause for any particular alarm over Bhai Ranjit Singh visit to Germany. Bhai Ranjit Singh’s earlier attempt to visit Canada and United States was aborted due to last minute cancellation of his visa to United States following the hue and cry made by moderate Sikhs in North America. (UNI) |
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BEIJING, July 4: China’s endorsement of India’s stand that the sanctity of the Line of Control (LoC) must be observed indicated a major shift in Beijing’s position on the Kargil issue, official sources said here. With this China has joined the ranks of other major powers in asking Pakistan to withdraw its infiltrators from Kargil and pave the way for de-escalation of the prevailing tension, a source told yesterday on condition of anonymity. He also pointed out that the recent Chinese statement on Kargil vindicated India’s stand that talks with Islamabad could be held only after the intruders vacated the Indian territory. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue in a statement on Thursday said Beijing hoped India and Pakistan could practically respect the LoC and resume talks on the issue as soon as possible. While describing the Kashmir issue as a dispute left over by history, she stressed it should be resolved through peaceful dialogues between India and Pakistan. Interestingly, the Chinese statement came just two days after beleaguered Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Beijing and met the Chinese leadership and failed to drum up support for Islamabad’s bid to internationalise the Kashmir issue. (PTI) |
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Mujahideens to head towards Islamabad ISLAMABAD, July 4: A former chief of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), in a hard-hitting comment, has warned Nawaz Sharif Government of a civil war if it forced the ‘Mujahideens’ to withdraw from Kargil-Drass sector under international pressure. If the ‘Mujahideens’ (Islamic warriors) were forced to withdraw from Kargil-Drass sector they would head straight to Islamabad instead of Srinagar and it would lead to a civil war in the country, Urdu Daily ‘Din’ here quoted former Director General of ISI Gen (retd) Hamid Gul as saying. Gul expressed apprehensions that the Sharif Government was going to make some compromise on the Kargil issue under American pressure. There are lot of doubts and it seems that a conspiracy is being hatched against the nation, Gul said, asserting that the seeds of this conspiracy was sown following the visit of an American delegation to Pakistan recently. The delegation led by Commander-in-Chief of US Central Command Gen Anthony Zinni had met Pakisan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief Gen Pervez Musharraf during its two-day stay in Islamabad and had reportedly delivered some message from US President Bill Clinton. But the Pakistan Government should not succumb under international pressure, he said. Meanwhile, Sharif left for Washington early today to meet Clinton to discuss the Kargil issue. (PTI) |
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Army chief honours 18th Grenadiers NEW DELHI, Jul 4: Chief of Army Staff Gen V P Malik today complimented the 15th Corps and honoured the 18th Grenadiers with unit citation for successful recapture of the vital Tiger hill. While you all deserve a good pat on the back, do remember that we still have more work to do. We cannot take any respite till our mission is accomplished, Gen Malik said in a message to the General Officer Commanding 15 Corps. Announcing a special instant award of ‘unit citation’ to 18th battalion the Grenadiers, for their exceptionally well and sterling performance during the battles of Tololing, Point 4590 and Three Pimples, he said their most significant achievement is the capture of Tiger hill. I have no doubt that ultimately it will be ‘Vijay’ (victory) for you and the just cause, the General said. The army spokesman has described the recapture of the strategic Tiger hill as dominating feature and turning point of the operation ‘Vijay’ being undertaken by the Indian side to evict the Pakistani intruders. Indian tri-color has been hoisted at the top of the majestic 16,000-foot high hill, a key bastion and supply camp of the intruders, the spokesman said. (PTI)
NEW DELHI, July 4: India today came out with a clinching proof about involvement of Pakistani army regulars in the Kargil incursions with the capture of a Pakistani soldier at Batalik sector. The soldier, Naik Inayat Ali (service number 2837712) of Five Northern Light Infantry, which is part of the 62nd brigade based in Skardu, was captured during operations in the sector, army sources told PTI here. Nk Inayat Ali revealed during interrogation that he has put in 20 years of service and is a native of Somdus village near Skardu in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, they said. The captured soldier would be treated as per the Geneva convention as a prisoner of war, the sources added. (PTI) US says it has no
intention to mediate WASHINGTON, July 4: US President Bill Clinton, who has been pressing Pakistan to pull out its intruders from the Indian territory in Kargil, today held one-to-one talks with Pakistani Premier Nawaz Sharif who has suddenly rushed here at his own initiative in a bid to find a way out of the situation. Within hours of his arrival, the Pakistan Prime Minister met Clinton at the Blair House, the Presidential Guest House, after delegations of the two countries had met separately for 40 minutes to discuss the ongoing Indo-Pak conflict. US National Security Council spokesman P J Crowley said after the meetings that Clinton and Sharif, who met alone for 15 minutes, would resume their discussion. Crowley said delegations of both the sides met for 40 minutes and later Clinton and Sharif had one-on-one meeting for 15 minutes and then they broke for lunch. He did not give any details of the talks. At the delegation-level discussion, the US was represented by National Security Advisor Samuel ‘Sandy’ Berger, Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott and Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Karl F Inderfurth, while the Pakistani team consisted of Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz, Foreign Secretary Shamshad Ahmad and the Minister of State for Kashmir Affairs. The urgency of the dialogues was highlighted by the fact that it took place on a Sunday and on the US National Day, hours after the arrival of the Pakistani leader in the US capital. White House spokesman Jake Siewert said, the purpose of the meeting is to review the situation in Kashmir and see what, if anything, we can do to lessen the tensions there. While the US asserted that it was not interested in a mediatory role, Clinton had also invited Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Washington at an early date but the Indian leader expressed inability to accept the invitation as it was not convenient at this stage. President Clinton is not playing the role of mediator. He was asked for this meeting by the (Pakistan) Prime Minister and after talking with the Prime Minister of India, he decided it was a good idea, Siewert was quoted by AFP as saying. Sharif rushed to Washington last night following a telephonic conversation with Clinton who also spoke to Vajpayee. Prior to the meeting, Crowley said, Sharif requested a meeting and I would assume he is bringing some ideas on how to resolve the current situation. Clinton has been conferring with the Prime Ministers of both Pakistan and India for several weeks on the situation in Kashmir, Crowley said, but made it clear that the US does not plan to mediate. We believe this has to be resolved through bilateral dialogue, he said. (PTI) |
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