The Hindu : Sinha hopes Pak. will thwart infiltration

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 27, 2003

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Sinha hopes Pak. will thwart infiltration

By Amit Baruah

NEW DELHI NOV. 26. The External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, today said that infiltration was a violation of the Line of Control and expressed the hope that Pakistan would do its bit to thwart such infiltration, making the ceasefire both complete and durable.

In an exclusive conversation with The Hindu at his residence here, Mr. Sinha said: "We have said that infiltration is a violation of the Line of Control (LoC). And we'll have to deal suitably with this violation in case it continues. We'll continue to hope, therefore, that this violation will be prevented by Pakistan, which means they will also do their bit to thwart infiltration. And if that happens, then the ceasefire will become, as we have said, both complete and durable."

Asked what mechanism would be used to address any violation of the ceasefire, Mr. Sinha said one mechanism that existed between the two countries was a hotline among the Directors-General of Military Operations (DGMOs).

Will this hotline be extended to sector commanders as well? "I have told you what the dialogue mechanisms are at the moment. Local commanders have been meeting..., for instance, if bodies have to be handed over. But, we don't have a set mechanism for dialogue at the local commanders-level yet. We'll let things evolve and then think about it."

Asked about the coming India-European Union summit, Mr. Sinha said New Delhi attached considerable importance to its relations with the E.U. "The E.U. is expanding territorially and functionally and we are watching this experiment very, very carefully. We would like to have the best of relationships with the E.U."

About the differences that came to the fore at the last India-E.U. summit in Copenhagen in October 2002, Mr. Sinha said it was the Danish Prime Minister, Anders Rasmussen, who had decided to go public with the differences (on talks with Pakistan and cross-border terrorism).

Mr. Sinha also expressed the hope that the E.U. and India would be able to reach an understanding on the latter's participation in the Galileo satellite navigation system during the November 29 summit meeting.

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