Indian PM Sets Condition for Attending SAARC Summit

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, December 02, 2002

Indian PM Sets Condition for Attending SAARC Summit

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Indian Prime Minister Atal BehariVajpayee virtually ruled out on Sunday his participation of a summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), scheduled next month in Islamabad.

"A thought can be given to it if there is a complete halt to cross-boarder terrorism before the dates of the summit," Vajpayee told the media in Shimla, 340 kilometers north of here.

According to the Press Trust of India (PTI), the Indian leader asserted that talks with Pakistan could not be centered on Kashmirdispute between the two countries and Islamabad should not rake upKashmir issue at the SAARC meeting on the ground that Kashmir was a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan.

"What is the use of going to Pakistan for SAARC meeting when Pakistan is not prepared to talk on any issue except Kashmir," Vajpayee reportedly said.

Islamabad has insisted that Kashmir was a core issue between the two countries while New Delhi maintained that it was only one of the issues existed between them.

Vajpayee said that he did not see any change in Pakistan's position toward India following the sworn-in of Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali.

However, he admitted that there had been some decline in infiltration into India-controlled Kashmir from Pakistani side.

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