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France on Thursday asked India and Pakistan to address their outstanding bilateral issues, including Kashmir, with "responsibility and in a cool-headed fashion" and offered its help if both sides desired it.
"We know Kashmir is a problem. All these issues should be dealt by the two countries with responsibility and in a cool-headed fashion," Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine told reporters at a joint press conference after an hour-long meeting with External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh.
His remarks come close on the heels of bellicose statements by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and a stern warning to Islamabad by India asking it to desist issuing unwarranted threats.
Vedrine, who was bound for Pakistan after a seven-hour stay, hoped the current developments in Afghanistan would not be detrimental to relations between New Delhi and Islamabad.
To a question, Singh said, "There is a problem of cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir." But he made it clear that this would not be allowed to "impede" any kind of resolution of the Afghanistan resolution. "After all terrorism that is being addressed," he said.
Asked whether India was sending any message through the French minister to Pakistan, Singh said, "I can scarcely utilise this opportunity of having such a distinguished and close friend ...to be used as a messenger."
The minister said, "We are in touch with Islamabad. We can pick up the telephone and talk ourselves."
Vedrine said India and Pakistan should deal with their problems through bilateral dialogue. France was ready "to do anything it can if a request" came from the two sides.
Singh was assisted in the parleys by S K Lambah, the government's newly appointed special envoy on Afghanistan.
The two sides discussed the evolving situation in Afghanistan, post-conflict scenario and the global campaign against terrorism.
Asked whether France favoured inclusion of "moderate" Taleban in a future dispensation in Afghanistan as strongly advocated by Pakistan, he said, "I don't know what a moderate Taleban is."
Stating that France favoured establishment of a broad-based fully representative government in Kabul, he said this had to be decided by the Afghan people themselves.
PTI
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