Sinha pours scorn on Pakistani allegation

New Delhi yesterday termed as "inventive diplomacy" the recent allegation by Pakistan that Indian troops had entered into Pakistani territory, while reiterating that no bilateral talks between the two neighbours is possible until Islamabad "completely stops supporting terrorism directed at India".

Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha was categorical in his assertion that while there has been some decline in levels of infiltration of armed insurgents from across the border, there is "no evidence of any effective action to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure operation inside Pakistan".

Addressing his first press conference here yesterday since taking charge as the foreign minister early last month, Sinha minced no words while declaring that he does not agree with the United States Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage's recent assertion that the Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf is not in total control to check infiltration into Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir province.

"It is not possible for us to believe that infiltration can take place without Pakistan army's support, no matter who says it, whether Gen. Musharraf or our friends from the U.S.," Sinha, who returned from a visit to Bangladesh yesterday, said.

"We see a contradiction between what he (Musharraf) says now and what he said earlier that nothing was happening on the Line of Control (LoC). If anything is happening along the LoC that is beyond his control, he should tell us and the world about it," Sinha said.

Sinha added that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had suggested joint patrolling of the LoC to keep a tab on the contentious issue of infiltration, which did not find favour with Islamabad.

Asked if Musharraf's change in stand on infiltration is tactical or an expression of his helplessness, Sinha cryptically said "there is nothing that Gen. Musharraf does which is not tactical".

Sinha also said Pakistan was making false accusations about Indian actions.

"The battery of false allegations accusing India of certain actions in the Gultari sector of the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir in recent days only confirms Pakistan's unscrupulous use of false information to meet its diplomatic ends," he said.

He clarified that New Delhi has not so far made the offer for joint patrolling of the LoC in writing, saying it can be further discussed only if Pakistan shows any seriousness. "The basic concept of joint patrolling is there. They (Pakistan) have to make up their mind."

Sinha also talked about the categorical assurance that he received from Dhaka during his visit to Bangladesh that the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) or any other organisation will not be allowed to use Bangladesh's territory for any anti-India activities.

Referring to Armitage's reported views on infiltration, Sinha said he will tell his friends in the U.S. during his forthcoming visit to the country about how India views it and that since cross border militancy is essentially India's war, any American help in fighting it will only be welcomed.

Asserting that India's relations with any other country is not "hostage to Indo-Pak ties", Sinha explained that New Delhi was fully appreciative of Washington's views on the alleged cross border miliancy.

"We have to keep clearly in our minds that Pakistan has been supporting the U.S. in its fight against the Taliban and Al Qaida. Quite clearly, Pakistan is a stalwart ally in the U.S. fight against terrorism in Afghanistan. As for India, the U.S. and its allies are not directly involved with dealing with terrorism inside India," he said.

Sinha, who was the finance minister before he swapped portfolio with Jaswant Singh during last month's reshuffle of the council of ministers, listed as New Delhi's achievement the fact that unlike in the past, "the world is now convinced about Pakistan's involvement in acts of continued terrorism inside India".

He also sought to clarify that the recent build-up on the borders with Pakistan, which had brought the two nations on the verge of a nuclear war, was defensive in nature.

"We moved our troops to prevent any aggression and it was essentially a defensive mobilisation that might have given the world an impression that we are closer to a conflict," Sinha said, while adding that there is no immediate threat of an armed conflict with Pakistan now.

Replying to a question about possible military action by the U.S. and its allies against Iraq, Sinha clarified that New Delhi continues to be of the opinion that there should be no armed action to change a regime anywhere in the world.