Author:
Publication: CNN Saturday Morning
News
Date: October 27, 2001
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS
COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Last
hour we spoke with India's ambassador to the United States. We are now
joined by Maleeha Lodhi, the Pakistani Ambassador to the U.S. The two nations
have fought three wars. Both have nuclear weapons. And a main bone of contention
now is the region called Kashmir.
Good morning to you, Ms. Ambassador.
Thank you very much for joining us this morning.
MALEEHA LODHI, PAKISTANI AMBASSADOR
TO THE U.S.: Thank you.
SAVIDGE: Last hour the Indian ambassador
accused Pakistan of harboring terrorists, which they say is obviously a
major problem in the ongoing war against terrorism, specifically since
the United States has launched a campaign to do away with terrorism. How
do you respond to that, first?
LODHI: Well, I think we have to
put the issue of Kashmir and Indian allegations against Pakistan in its
proper historical perspective. Terrorism came to the beautiful valley of
Kashmir on 20th January, 1990 when the Indian occupation force fired on
200 unarmed, peaceful demonstrators.
>From then on, we have seen for
the last 12 years, a freedom struggle evolve and intensify in the occupied
valley of Kashmir. This is a dispute that is internationally recognized.
It's the oldest dispute on the U.N. agenda.
This is something that the United
States government recognizes -- the Kashmir dispute is a dispute between
India and Pakistan, and that a peaceful solution must be found which is
in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
I think it's very important not
to take the eye off, not to take the focus off the fight against terrorism
and the battle that is going on of which my country is a front-line state
in this battle against international terrorism in Afghanistan.
At the same time my country has
been interested in de-escalating tensions with India, and that is why President
Musharraf has repeatedly offered peace talks to Prime Minister Vajpayee.
And we still hope that the Indian prime minister will respond to our peace
overtures and respond to our desire to resolve the outstanding issue of
Kashmir by peaceful means. We would like India to accept that there is
no military solution to Kashmir. And I'm afraid we have not seen India
yet recognize that. We would like to be on the negotiating table, but we
would like to have a negotiating partner who can talk to us. So far, we
have not seen that happen.
SAVIDGE: Madam Ambassador, do you
think that Pakistan may be given somewhat of a blind eye by the United
States, in light of the fact that they're cooperating in the effort against
Afghanistan?
LODHI: Well, you know, your question
begs another question: A blind eye for what? My country has been in the
forefront in the fight against terrorism before this war. My country was
the front-line state even 20 years ago when we jointly struggled against
the then- Soviet Union. My country has been in the forefront of international
peacekeeping efforts.
So really, the question is a blind
eye towards what?
SAVIDGE: Well, I guess it's the
feeling, perhaps, by some that Pakistan may be able to proliferate some
activity in Kashmir without fear of the United States condemning it because
of the fact that Pakistan is thought to be doing a favor for the U.S. currently.
LODHI: Well as I said, my country
stands for a peaceful resolution of the outstanding conflict in Kashmir.
We would like other countries to be involved in this to find a peaceful
resolution which is acceptable to the people of Kashmir.
There's no question of anybody turning
a blind eye to something that Pakistan is doing. We do extend diplomatic
and moral support to the Kashmiri freedom struggle, and that's what it
is: a freedom struggle.
Now, I think any effort to try to
malign that struggle, taking advantage and exploiting the situation as
it exists now, would be hugely irresponsible from our point of view, and
from the international point of view.
And I'm saddened to hear that the
Indian government, instead of responding to our overtures for peace and
for a peaceful resolution of Kashmir, is trying actually, perhaps irked
by the fact that my country has become a front-line state again, and therefore
a prominent member of the global coalition, is trying to stoke up tensions
in the region which, frankly, neither India nor Pakistan can afford right
now.
There are two nuclear-armed neighbors,
and we need to exercise the utmost restraint, which is exactly what my
government is doing right now.
SAVIDGE: Madam Ambassador, we thank
you very much for your time this morning. Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi is the
Pakistani ambassador to the United States. Again, thank you.
