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U.S. told of concern over weapons supply to Pakistan

By Our Staff Reporter

BHUBANESWAR, DEC. 12. The Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, today said the United States Government's decision to supply sophisticated weapons to Pakistan at this juncture would affect India's peace process with its neighbour.

India's concern had been conveyed to the Bush administration, he said.

``The argument of the U.S. that it was supplying arms to Pakistan to tackle terrorism does not stand. No country uses fighter aircraft to fight terrorists,'' Mr. Mukherjee said. He was speaking to presspersons after dedicating a martyrs' memorial at the Sainik School here.

The Minister said the U.S. Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, had met him, the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and the External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh, during his recent visit to New Delhi, and all of them had impressed upon him that the weapons should not be given to Pakistan at this juncture.

To a query on the possibility of the U.S. mediation on the Kashmir issue, Mr. Mukherjee replied in the negative. ``Kashmir is essentially a bilateral issue and it would be resolved bilaterally. There is no scope of any third party mediation.''

Asked whether the withdrawal of troops in Kashmir had affected the morale of the Armed forces, Mr. Mukherjee said the decision was taken considering the ground realities. Large sections had welcomed the decision.

The memorial at the Sainik School has been constructed in memory of the 12 former students who laid down their lives for the country.

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