Author: Our Political Bureau
Publication: The Economic Times
Date: June 13, 2002
No Troop Recall Till Islamabad Stops
Feeding Terror
India has ruled out further de-escalatory
steps vis-à-vis Pakistan until general Pervez Musharraf walks the
talk on ending infiltration and terrorism. This was the message US defense
secretary Donald Rumsfeld took to Pakistan after a series of discussions
in India.
Emerging from a meeting with PM
Atal Behari Vajpayee this evening. Mr. Rumsfeld said, "We recognise the
series of steps India has taken recently and these are useful, like the
resumption of over-flights, the indication of a high commissioner to be
named, the movement of naval forces to the South, "But while India agreed
it would abide by its promise on diplomatic and military de-escalation,
New Delhi insisted it would choreograph these steps, depending on its assessment
of Pakistan's moves on the ground. India, Mr. Rumsfeld was told, would
be looking to see whether Pakistan took steps to dismantle the "infrastructure
of terrorism" including camps, funding and communication lines with the
Pakistan army/Inter Services Intelligence.
Interestingly, while Mr. Rumsfeld
seemed unwilling to commit Pakistan to these steps, in New York, US secretary
of state Colin Powell said Mr. Armitage had secured promise from general
Musharraf last weekend that he would soon be taking steps to shut down
terrorist camps, a promise communicated to India. This promise was not
referred to by Mr. Rumsfeld, who instead asked India for further steps
like pulling back aircraft from forward positions, stopping shelling and
giving Pakistan's aircraft landing rights in India.
Mr. Rumsfeld's meetings today included
breakfast with Brajesh Mishra, followed by talks with Union ministers George
Fernandes, Jaswant Singh and LK Advani, capping it with a meeting with
the PM this evening.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan government
said Indian gestures were "cosmetic" and called for "resumption of a meaningful
dialogue on disputes, especially the core issue of Kashmir."
