The Hindu : Pak. too small to scare us: Fernandes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 31, 2003

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National

Pak. too small to scare us: Fernandes

New Delhi Oct. 30. The Defence Minister, George Fernandes, has dismissed Pakistan as ``too small a country to be a threat to India'' and maintained that the level of infiltration has remained unchanged during the past six months.

``Pakistan is not a threat to India. It is too small a country for us to be afraid of. It cannot be, can never be a threat to India,'' Mr. Fernandes said in an interview in BBC's Hard Talk — India programme to be telecast on Friday. .

The Defence Minister asserted that there was no change in the situation on the border with Pakistan. ``There is no normality on the border, with Pakistani troops indulging in constant firing on Indian posts.''

Mr. Fernandes said there was no meaningful changes in cross border terrorism. ``You cannot say that today it is at a certain level because tomorrow it could be at another level. There are ups and downs but nothing that is meaningful.''

``Pakistan is training terrorists within its borders and sending them to India. The level is as it used to be, by and large. There has been no meaningful change of terrorism in the last six months.''

Addressing top Naval Commanders in New Delhi today, Mr. Fernandes said India would make all efforts to make the peace process with Pakistan a success, though it would also be prepared to face the problem of terrorism that was likely to persist.

``As our Prime Minister has once again taken the lead to restart the peace process with Pakistan through dialogue, we shall make all possible efforts to make it a success,'' he said.

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