No Military Demobilization: Indian Defense Minister

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, July 13, 2002

No Military Demobilization: Indian Defense Minister

Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes ruled out on Friday any demobilization of troop along the line of control in Kashmir, saying that the situation in the disputed valley remained unchanged.

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Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes ruled out on Friday any demobilization of troop along the line of control in Kashmir, saying that the situation in the disputed valley remained unchanged.

Prior to the scheduled visit by British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw next week, which will be followed by United States Defense Secretary Colin Powell, Fernandes asserted that the situation in Kashmir remained unchanged since the visit by US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage to South Asia last month.

"Cross border infiltration (from Pakistani side) and export of terrorism to India continue," the minister said in Patna, capital of India's northeast state of Bihar about 1,000 kilometers east ofhere.

According to the Press Trust of India (PTI), Fernandes told a press conference that there could be no movement in the direction of peace until Islamabad hands over to India the 20 criminals, whoNew Delhi said were responsible for a series of terrorist attacks in the country.

He disclosed that, during talks between Armitage and Indian leaders, India had expressed its doubts about Pakistan keeping itspromise of ending what New Delhi described as cross-border terrorism.

But, he added, Armitage asked India to trust Pakistan PresidentPervez Musharraf as he had given the assurance to the US PresidentGeorge W. Bush.

Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Home Affairs Minister Lall Krishna Advani and Fernandes himself, have given conflicting versions on the quantum of infiltration from across the line of control in Kashmir.

The defense minister attributed it to "detective" assessment ofthe situation, saying that "terrorist infiltration from across theborder ebbs for a day or two and then again there is a flow ... initially we felt things were improving but we were wrong."

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