SRINAGAR, April 18: India and Pakistan said on Friday they were ready for peace talks over Kashmir ahead of the latest round of US shuttle diplomacy to ease tensions between the two countries.
Speaking from behind bullet-proof glass in the first public speech in 15 years by an Indian prime minister in Srinagar, Atal Behari Vajpayee told a mainly hand-picked crowd of 10,000 he wanted talks with Pakistan as well as Kashmiri groups.
In Islamabad, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali reacted positively to Mr Vajpayee, saying: “We welcome it, we appreciate it.”
Speaking to reporters in parliament, Mr Jamali said Pakistan had always said talks were the only way to resolve issues, including the Kashmir dispute.
“On the main issue (of Kashmir) Pakistan’s stand remains the same. But once talks start there...could be flexibility from both sides,” he added.
Although Mr Vajpayee’s speech was largely conciliatory, he did not specifically drop India’s condition that Pakistan first stop militants crossing into occupied Kashmir before talks could begin.
“All issues should be settled through talks,” he said in an unusually brief 17-minute speech. “We are ready... (to discuss) both internal and external problems. Guns will not solve the matter but brotherhood will.
“We again extend the hand of friendship but it has to be a two-way road. Both sides should decide to live together.”
Mr Vajpayee’s comments came hours after US officials said Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage may visit India and Pakistan in the next several weeks.
Mr Armitage was likely to discuss issues, including stopping militants slipping into occupied Kashmir and reviving Indian-Pakistani dialogue, one official said.
Many of the crowd were bussed into Srinagar from nearby towns by occupied Kashmir’s government elected last year on a pledge of bringing a healing touch after 13 years of freedom movement that has killed more than 38,000 people.
But as hundreds of heavily armed police and troops guarded the Sher-i-Kashmir stadium where Mr Vajpayee spoke, most of Srinagar was deserted after All Parties Hurriyat Conference called a strike for his two-day visit from Friday.
Later, the APHC, Kashmir’s main alliance of parties struggling for freedom, called off the strike for Saturday.
“The people have shown to the world community that they’re with this ongoing movement,” the Hurriyat, which bands two dozen militant groups, said. “Our mission has been achieved by today’s strike, hence we’re withdrawing the strike notice for Saturday.”
As Mr Vajpayee began his visit, Indian troops killed three members of Lashkar-i-Taiba in a gunbattle near Qazigund town, where he is due attend a function on Saturday.—Reuters
