ELECTION 99
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Vajpayee doubts Pakistan wants peace

Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today lashed out at Pakistan for its double standards on the question of improving relations with India.

Addressing a press conference at the Lucknow Raj Bhawan, Vajpayee said, "We cannot think of opening a fresh dialogue with Pakistan until it comes forward with clean hands."

Attacking Pakistan for its propaganda that India was not reacting favourably to its offer for fresh talks, he said Islamabad was "simply providing lip service to impress upon the rest of the world that it was sincerely interested in establishing peace".

"But the fact remains that Pakistan is only putting up a façade. On the one hand, it goes about violating the spirit of the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration, while on the other it claims to be initiating peace talks."

In a scathing attack, the prime minister remarked, "Pakistan was solely responsible for breeding an atmosphere of mistrust by attacking us in Kargil while we were trying to pave the way for peace through the Lahore Declaration."

He added, "Now if Pakistan is really keen on re-establishing harmony and friendship, let it display some sense of sincerity and respect towards the past two agreements, the only way we can think of initiating fresh talks."

Mincing no words, he asserted, "The stepped-up cross-border terrorism in Kashmir after the military takeover in Pakistan only goes to prove that the military regime is not interested in peace and friendship."

Asked if India would press for the declaration of Pakistan as a terrorist state, Vajpayee said the demand had already been made from certain quarters, but the ultimate decision lay with the United States, "so much depends on how the USA looks at the whole issue".

When his attention was drawn to the recent build-up by the People's Liberation Army across the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh, Vajpayee said, "We are aware of increased activity in that area. This will be taken up seriously at the high-level diplomatic talks that opened between the two countries in New Delhi yesterday."

Regarding India's stand on the World Trade Organisation, Vajpayee said, "We are sending a delegation with a very clear brief to ensure that India's economic interests are not compromised at any cost. At the same time we will also put up a strong case for developing nations in general."

Tell us what you think of this report