SRINAGAR, June 13: India on Thursday ruled out the deployment of foreign troops in held Kashmir to help flush out Al Qaeda fighters which US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said are likely operating in Kashmir.

“Our troops are well capable of dealing with the situation themselves and there is absolutely no possibility of foreign troops operating in any territory in India,” Indian Junior Foreign Minister Omar Abdullah told a press conference here.

He also said dialogue between India and Pakistan on their dispute in Kashmir will take place once India is convinced Islamabad has stopped sponsoring militancy.

“India, Pakistan dialogue will take place. It has to take place, but it will take place once we are completely sure that Pakistan has turned the corner irreversibly,” Abdullah said.

The Times of India in a report said the deployment of international troops in Kashmir was being seriously considered.

It added the troops would be sent to the area under the guise of helping hunt down Al Qaeda fighters but they would also play a dual role by monitoring infiltrations.

The report was shot down both by Indian and US officials, who said that instead Rumsfeld had discussed the possibility of using mechanical ground sensors to monitor infiltrations.

Abdullah said Rumsfeld’s acknowledgement of the possibility of Al Qaeda operating in the disputed state of Kashmir was a “very important and positive development for India” as it meant the world was at last waking up to the dangers Al Qaeda posed in Kashmir.

Abdullah also acknowledged that Pakistan was starting to make good its promise to stem the flow of militants crossing the LoC to launch murderous attacks on Indian targets.

“We never have been, we never will be. We have always sought to avoid military conflict through use of diplomatic pressure, which I am glad has been successful,” he added. —AFP