Author: Press Trust of India
Publication: www.expressindia.com
Date: January 30, 2002
URL: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=6967
India on Tuesday rejected Pakistani
criticism of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's remarks demanding return
of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. New Delhi also asserted that the nation stood
by the ''well considered, principled position'' on the whole of Jammu and
Kashmir being an integral part.
''It is a well considered, principled
position sanctified by Parliament,'' an External Affairs Ministry spokes
woman told reporters when asked about Islamabad expressing disappointment
over the remarks by Vajpayee.
"Our neighbour keeps inviting us
for meetings and talks but I ask them, what do we do with the meeting if
we have to meet to fight once again? It is better to remain separate,"
Vajpayee had said in Chattisgarh on Monday.
"We regret that once again India
did not accept our sincere offer," Pakistan's foreign office spokesman
Aziz Ahmed Khan said in Islamabad.
Reacting to Vajpayee's remarks,
Khan said Islamabad has repeatedly made a sincere offer to India for de-escalation
of tension and settling all issues through peaceful means. In view of this
the ball is now in India's court, he said.
Official sources said India continued
with its voice of peace, restraint and balance but for resumption of Indo-Pak
dialogue Pakistan has to take effective steps on the ground on the demands
made by New Delhi.
