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NEW DELHI, Dec 31: India on Monday welcomed the steps taken by Pakistan against Jaish-i-Mohammed and Lashkar-i-Taiba and said it was forwarding a list of wanted terrorists who it says escaped to Pakistan after carrying out attacks in India.
External Affairs Minister Jawant Singh said after a meeting of the cabinet committee on security (CCS) that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would reach Kathmandu in time for the Saarc summit starting on Jan 4.
Singh also opened the possibility of talks between Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and President Pervez Musharraf on the sidelines of the Saarc summit. India had previously been fiercely resisting pressure from the United States and others for such a meeting, adds Reuters.
“I will see how developments (go) in Kathmandu,” Singh said when asked about chances of a face-to-face meeting between the two leaders or, possibly, between himself and Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar.
Singh also stated that the ministry of external affairs on Monday handed over to Pakistan a list of 40 wanted “dreaded terrorists” for the heinous crimes they committed in India, resumes Jawed Naqvi.
Singh further said the steps initiated by Pakistan again the groups were a step in the right direction and added that India would also convey necessary demands to Pakistan asking it to initiate action against those taking refuge in Pakistan.
Home Minister Lal Krishan Advani, Defence Minister George Fernandes and the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, K.C. Pant, attended the CCS meeting. The three service chiefs were not present.
AFP ADDS: Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee called on Pakistan to shed its “anti-India” mentality and crush “terrorist groups” on its soil to allow talks on all bilateral disputes, including Kashmir.
In a special article published on New Year’s Day, Mr Vajpayee also warned the Indian people to be prepared for any eventuality in the light of the “unprecedented” crisis that has brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war.
“As I have said earlier, India does not want war. But we have a sovereign right to defend ourselves against cross-border terrorism, which is a proxy war that is already thrust on us,” Mr Vajpayee said.
“Pakistan will be solely responsible for the consequences of encouraging terrorism against India,” he added. The open article released to the press was written against the biggest military build-up on the Indo-Pakistan border for 30 years.
“Shed your anti-India mentality and take effective steps to stop cross-border terrorism, and you will find India willing to walk more than half the distance to work closely with Pakistan to resolve, through dialogue, any issue, including the contentious issue of Jammu and Kashmir,” Mr Vajpayee said.
