'Dialogue is the only way'

Kishan Lal Sharma, BJP vice-president, has been in charge of the party's affairs in Jammu and Kashmir. According to him, the A.B. Vajpayee Government has paid greater attention to the security and political concerns of the State than its predecessor governments. He says that attempts to internationalise the Kashmir issue will be opposed and that the Government will not bow down to pressure. Excerpts from an interview K.L. Sharma gave Venkitesh Ramakrishnan:

Does the Security Council Resolution amount to an attempt to internationalise the Kashmir issue?

There is an attempt to internationalise the issue, and this is not for the first time that such an attempt has been made. Pakistan has tried time and again to raise the issue in international forums. Now the United States has taken the stand that China should intervene in the matter. It is for the first time that the U.S. has gone this far. After the Shimla Agreement, which was internationally accepted, the Kashmir issue became a bilateral matter. In this background, the question of internationalising the issue should not have arisen. That is why, despite the efforts of some world powers, India is strongly opposed to such moves.

Does the situation pose a threat to India's long-held position that talks with Pakistan should be held under the framework of the Shimla Agreement?

ANU PUSHKARNA

At least India will try to confine itself to the Shimla Agreement. The agreement makes it clear that the Kashmir issue has to be settled bilaterally and rules out third-party mediation. Pakistan has also accepted this.

L.K. Advani warned Pakistan that it should take note of the new geo-strategic realities in the region.

Some countries and leaders are trying to take advantage of the issues raised in the Home Minister's statement. But can any country deny that Pakistan has been aiding and abetting terrorists in various parts of India, including Kashmir? Is it not true that even the U.S. has kept Pakistan on its watch-list for its dubious political activities?

At the same time, it should be noted that we have not raised any of these issues in international forums. Our stand on Pakistan's activities were always conveyed directly to Islamabad. Even the Home Minister's statement was addressed to Islamabad. So our position is that no country or world power should intervene in the matter because of this and make it a third party issue. Just saying that a statement has been made and hence a third party should intervene is not right.

For instance, will we be justified in saying that the U.S. suggestion for China's intervention in Kashmir should be discussed in international forums? The U.S. has given China Most Favoured Nation status, knowing that China is supplying arms and ammunition, including nuclear and missile materials, to Pakistan. But can we make it an international issue? An agreement like the Shimla Agreement cannot be violated, citing one statement or the other.

India proposed talks but Pakistan has not responded. Given the intensity of feeling on both sides, do you think that talks will make any progress?

In spite of everything, whether there are positive results or not, issues should be discussed again and again. Dialogue is the only way to find a solution.

What is the format of discussion that the BJP has in mind?

There are two ways of discussing the issue. One, all matters can be discussed without preconditions. Two, an agenda for discussion can be set in advance. We are ready to discuss all bilateral issues, even those that are unrelated to Kashmir, in both ways - with a pre-set agenda or without preconditions.

Should representatives of the people of Kashmir be included in the talks?

As far as India is concerned, the Kashmir issue is not even a matter of dispute. The plain fact, as asserted by the resolutions of both Houses of Parliament, is that Kashmir is and was an integral part of India. It became an integral part of India by means of the same Instrument of Accession as in the case of other States. Pakistan is only an aggressor country that has occupied some of our areas. Every successive government in India is bound by the resolutions of Parliament on Kashmir that affirm three things. One, terrorism in the State should be curbed with an iron hand. Two, the areas of Kashmir illegally occupied by Pakistan should be got vacated. Three, our borders should be defended at all costs. This is the mandate given by Parliament. And we are implementing this true to its spirit. And there will be no compromise on that.

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