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India to oppose Pak attempt to internationalise Kashmir

P Mohan Das in Nuwara Eliya

India has made its position on the Kashmir issue very clear and any attempt by Pakistan to internationalise it will be strongly opposed, Indian Foreign Secretary K Raghunath said today.

''We will proceed with the talks on Kashmir in a substantive and serious way, not by any fantasies but realistic approach,'' he said just before the opening of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation council of ministers meeting this morning.

On Pakistan diplomats' assertion that no real progress in relations between India and Pakistan is possible without solving the Kashmir issue, he said, ''We do not share this view.''

He explained that the SAARC was not the forum to solve any outstanding bilateral issue. It has a set agenda which primarily deals with economic cooperation.

Asked about the meeting between Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz tomorrow, the official said the discussion would further discuss the points agreed during the Lahore summit between the prime ministers of the countries.

India will focus on confidence-building measures between the two countries which are essential for the security in the region.

''Efforts will also be made to promote people-to-people contacts for which we have taken several measures like freeing fishermen and prisoners,'' Raghunath said.

Business is another area where we are concentrating more now. ''Our aim will be to solve all outstanding issues bilaterally in a friendly atmosphere,'' he said.

UNI

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