The Hindu : International / India & World : Musharraf-Manmohan meeting `very important': Pakistan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 14, 2004

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International - India & World

Musharraf-Manmohan meeting `very important': Pakistan

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, SEPT. 13. Pakistan has said that the coming meeting between the President, General Pervez Musharraf, and the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 22 as "very important" in the context of the ongoing dialogue between the two countries.

Responding to a question on the first contact between Gen. Musharraf and Dr. Singh, the Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman, Masood Khan, told his weekly news conference here today that "we attach importance to the contact and the meeting."

In response to another question, Mr. Khan regretted what he termed the re-emergence of Indian allegations on cross-border terrorism and urged New Delhi to remain focussed on the primary objective of resolving outstanding issues between the two countries, including Jammu and Kashmir. He said that there had been a pattern of making such allegations in the past when India used to say `no' to talks until the "cross-border infiltration" ended. However, he said, it changed when India decided to start talks with Pakistan, which led to the meeting of the leaders of the two countries on January 6, and an agreement to start the composite dialogue process.

"I think this pattern [of making these allegations] is emerging again and it is regrettable," Mr. Khan said. He rejected the Indian allegations and described it as a "non-issue."

"The Indian leaders have admitted this privately and publicly," he claimed and added that the real issue was human rights violations in the Indian-held Kashmir.

Mr. Khan said the composite dialogue was a continuous process but added it has to produce results. "The area we want to produce results is Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

Asked about the recent allegations made by Baluchistan Chief Minister that India's RAW has established 40 militant camps in his province, Mr. Khan said he has no brief on the subject and would get back after getting details.

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