June 7, 2003	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 6, 1424

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PATNA, June 6: Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Friday asked Pakistan to completely “remove the sword of terrorism” before talks could begin.

“Efforts for friendship (with Pakistan) are on. For those who raise questions on why the fresh peace initiative was made, I wish to say, friends can change, not neighbours,” Vajpayee said while addressing a public meeting in eastern Bihar state.

“Terror strikes in Jammu and Kashmir have come down marginally over the last few months but for any dialogue to be fruitful, Pakistan will have to completely remove the sword of terrorism,” he added.

Vajpayee said the new peace initiatives reflected India’s “sincerity of purpose.”

He added: “We want to narrow our distance with the neighbour.”

Since the renewed peace initiatives, the two countries have appointed new envoys and are set to revive air, train and bus links.

India has said it has a “roadmap” for dialogue with Pakistan which it will follow step-by-step. It has, however, ruled out any summit between Vajpayee and Musharraf before year’s end.

“Wars cannot solve problems. Three wars have already taken place. We need to take lessons from those wars,” the Indian premier said.—AFP