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China's occupation of Kashmir can't be ignored, says Fernandes

Defence Minister George Fernandes says the Chinese occupation of some part of Jammu and Kashmir ''can't be lightly dismissed.''

''There is some part of Jammu and Kashmir which is lying with China. That is a factor which can't be lightly dismissed,'' Fernandes said in a television interview.

''Now if one talks, discusses and debates (the occupation), what emerges out of that is too premature at the moment to even guess,'' he said.

Referring to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the defence minister said, ''The ground realities are that there is a part of Jammu and Kashmir which is occupied by Pakistan, and that part has to be reclaimed.''

He also ruled out the conversion of the Line of Control into the international border. ''That is not the position of the government and I don't think that will be the position of the government.''

On the country's internal and external threats, Fernandes spoke of exploitation, of economic problems by outside forces, the proxy war by Pakistan, the border problem with China and the perceived Chinese influence over Myanmar. He referred to the Andaman and Nicobar islands as ''the most insecure frontier of India.''

''We have a naval outfit there, a small army unit and a couple of airfields, and that is about all. These sea lanes are of very vital significance for India's security. Now we have decided to go in for a new naval command (third command) in Andamans to deal with the situation," he continued.

Elaborating on the exploitation, he said: ''We have seen what happened in Mumbai, Coimbatore and we have also seen the insurgencies in the North-East.''

He said in the past three to four days, Pakistani forces had raised their level of firing at the LoC and made the civilian population their targets.

Talking about the post-Pokhran talks with the United States, he said, ''both sides are able to see each other's concerns, and there seems to have been greater understanding of our concerns on the part of the US.''

The minister stated that since India had gone nuclear a command and control system was inevitable. "There is no question of whether we are going to have it. It is a must,'' he said.

Each nuclear power state had its own system and India would forge its own control and command system. He, however, felt that in India it was the political leadership that will have to keep its fingers on the trigger.

Asked what was the minimum level of weaponisation of nuclear capability which could provide a credible nuclear deterrence, he said, ''it is a matter which is best left unsaid.''

He stated that there was no concrete proposal on the reported acquisition of an aircraft carrier from Russia.

The defence minister, however said that production of the main battle tank was to begin soon. The problems in fixing additional gadgetry had been overcome. ''It is only a matter of time now before the production of MBT should start,'' Fernandes added.

UNI

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