Press Conference by Shri Jaswant Singh, May 28th
Transcript of Press Conference by Shri Jaswant Singh,
External Affairs Minister
at 15:30 hours on May 28,
2002 [Transcript)
MS. NIRUPAMA RAO: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to this afternoon's Press Conference with the honourable Minister of External Affairs, Shri Jaswant Singh. The Minister will make a statement and thereafter, he will take your questions.
As we have stated before, please identify yourself while asking your question and mention the organization which you belong to.
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: Thank you ladies and gentlemen of the press.His Excellency Gen. Pervez Musharraf's television address of May 27 is both disappointing and dangerous. Disappointing, as it merely repeats some earlier assurances which remain unfulfilled till today, and dangerous because through belligerent posturing tension has been added to, not reduced. Evading altogether the central issue of Pakistan's promotion of terrorism, the General, unfortunately engaged instead in an offensive and tasteless revilement of India. A great pity this, for it contradicts his expressed desire for peace and mocks the expectations of most of the international community by flouting current international commitments against terrorism. Gen. Musharraf has disappointingly spelt out no measures for stopping this lethal export of terrorism from Pakistan. Mere verbal denials, about the Line of Control are untenable, for they run against facts on the ground.
Let the world recognize that today the epicentre of international terrorism is located in Pakistan. Terrorists targeting not just India but other countries too, receive support from state structures within Pakistan. The current war against terrorism will not be won decisively until their base camps inside Pakistan are closed permanently.
Gen. Musharraf has nevertheless voiced a desire for peace. It is in his hands to attain it. Let him simply fulfill the assurances that he has himself given all these months. India will reciprocate.
In the meantime the Government of India will continue to take such measures as are necessary.
QUESTION (MR. VIJAY NAIK, SAKAL PAPERS):
You have described the statement of Mr. Musharraf as
dangerous and disappointing. In the light of what you have
said, do you see a possibility of a nuclear conflict between
India and Pakistan? I say this because everybody today is
talking of not only conflict but a nuclear conflict
also.
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: No, we are certainly not
talking of it. When you say 'everybody', India has not
talked of it. India is not talking about it now. I do
acknowledge and I acknowledge it with some disappointment
that Gen. Musharraf, and some of the Ministers in his
Government, I might not name them, through various
statements and interviews -- Gen. Musharraf for example in
an interview to Der Spiegel - and others have spoken very
casually about nuclearisation. This tantamounts to
nuclearisation of terrorism. And in this we see an example
of how promotion of terrorism and the threat of nuclear
weapons is being held simultaneously. The international
community has to take note of the seriousness of these two
dangers. India has not ever spoken of nuclear weapons.
India's policy in this regard is clear, unambiguous and
explicit. It is - 'no first use'. And that remains the
country's policy.
QUESTION (MR. RAKESH KAPUR, PUNJAB
KESRI): Mr. Minister, you have just
said that the danger
of a nuclear war might arise.
MR. JASWANT SINGH: No, I
did not say so.
QUESTION (MR. RAKESH KAPUR, PUNJAB
KESRI): You said that India's policy is clear and that we
will not initiate war against anybody. But the biggest
question that has arisen is, 'Hasn't the Kashmir issue gone
back to the situation of 1947 and 1948?' Hasn't Kashmir
become a tripartite issue?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH:
No.
QUESTION (MR. RAKESH KAPUR, PUNJAB KESRI): How,
Sir?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: If I have to give you the whole
analysis, the entire Press Conference will have to be
devoted to it.
QUESTION (MS. JYOTI MALHOTRA, INDIAN
EXPRESS): Sir, you said right at the end of your statement
that it is now in Gen. Musharraf's hand to attain this peace
and that India would not hesitate to take these measures.
What are these measures? What do we want from him?
SHRI
JASWANT SINGH: I have said that it is really for Gen.
Musharraf to implement, to act upon, what he has himself
given as international commitments. Not simply assurances
subject to India, it is international commitments. And they
are not born of 1373. It is about abjuring violence, it is
about completely stopping infiltration across the Line of
Control, giving up terrorism as an instrument of State
policy, disbanding terrorist training camps, and to cease
financing and providing infrastructural support for
terrorists and their organizations, also the whole question
of the 20 Indian criminals and others who are taking shelter
in Pakistan and their handing over. These are some things
that have been spoken of for a very long time. It is really
up to Gen. Musharraf to act on this because this is very
much in the realm of acting against terrorism.
QUESTION:
How much time are you going to give?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH:
It would be difficult for me to go into time specifics.
Sufficient time has already elapsed in this regard.
Let
me ladies and gentlemen, share with all of you the concern
that India has. On the 1st of October 2001, the State
Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir was attacked. We were then
advised that there was going to be action on the part of the
Government of Pakistan and there should, therefore, from
India's side be restraint and patience. There was then 13th
of December. In between, I do not want to go into other
incidents that took place. On 13th of December took place an
attack on the Parliament of India. Yet again we were told,
'Please exercise restraint.' On January 12, Gen. Pervez
Musharraf made many statements. He took certain actions
between 12th and 15th; some terrorist camps were shut down;
certain organizations were banned; about 2000 people were
arrested. Those camps have come up again. Of those 2000, you
know very well how many have been released already. You know
very well that the head of Jaish-e-Mohammed, Azhar Masood,
lives in his own bungalow, and is paid Rs.10,000 a month by
the Government of Pakistan. After the Karachi killings, some
more arrests take place. Then comes Kaluchak. It is very
important to realize that India cannot continue to be
penalized
for its patience. When, therefore, you asked
me about time, you are not being fair to the patience and
restraint that India has already and consistently, well
before October 1, continued to demonstrate. And after all,
October 1 was barely 20 days after September 11.
QUESTION
(DR. MANAS BANERJEE, DAINIK AGRADOOT, ASSAM): Both United
States and … involved with India?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH:
No, I don't think so.
QUESTION: What is the limit of
patience? The Prime Minister said at least five times in the
recent past that he was running out of patience. How long is
his patience going to last? Many people have begun to think
that these are just words.
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: Yours is
not a question. It is really a statement.
QUESTION: I am
asking how long this patience will last?
SHRI JASWANT
SINGH: You are asking me to give an empirical measure of
India's patience.
QUESTION (MR. AJAY KUMAR, AAJ TAK): You
said that there are many camps in Pakistan in which training
is being imparted to terrorists and terrorism is being
exported from there to other countries including India, and
that they should be destroyed.
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: I
said that they should be closed permanently. I did not use
the word 'destroy'.
QUESTION (MR. AJAY KUMAR, AAJ TAK):
Yes. In this backdrop, is India thinking of taking any
action from its side? What is India thinking of doing? What
tough measures are being thought of?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH:
What tough measures am I thinking of? - The statement that I
am giving in itself is a measure being taken. What tough
measures will I take? - I do not think this in itself is a
serious question. If I start detailing the steps - whether
you call
them soft steps or tough steps - on television
and in the press, then the steps would no longer have any
significance.
QUESTION (MR. ANURAG TOMAR, SAHARA TV): In
yesterday's speech of President Musharraf also it has been
seen that Pakistan has been constantly rubbishing the
evidence which has been provided by India saying it is not
sufficient. Specifically if we were to mention December 13
attack and Kaluchak, it has been said again that evidence
being provided is kind of superficial and does not say
much. What is the gravity and authenticity of this evidence
as we have shared it with other countries also? What do they
have to say about this?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: Are you
interrogating me for evidence, or are you corroborating what
Gen. Musharraf has said as not sufficient? Have you seen the
evidence?
QUESTION (MR. ANURAG TOMAR, SAHARA TV): I have
not.
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: Then how do you say what Gen.
Musharraf has said is correct and it is not
sufficient?
QUESTION (MR. ANURAG TOMAR, SAHARA TV): What
we actually wanted to understand was the gravity and
authenticity of this evidence as it has been shared by other
countries also. What do thy have to say on this?
SHRI
JASWANT SINGH: Gravity is for Pakistan to recognize.
Authenticity is documentation, photographs, fingerprints,
identification, names, parentage, address in Pakistan,
provided to the authorities in Pakistan.
I must say that I am not a very avid television viewer and my favourite activity in the evening is actually not to watch foreign dignitaries give speeches on television. So, I take it as correct that what you say about General sahab - as you put it colourfully - rubbishing the evidence given. I don't know if he has actually rubbished it. Whether it was December 13 or it is now Kaluchak, the full facts were provided. Subsequently after Kaluchak, in Rajouri there is interrogation because there is now a terrorist who is apprehended and he has clearly said, I am from Kotli, this is my name, this is my address and this was the task that was given to me. This has all been provided. I am sorry that you share the General's views, but that is your freedom.
QUESTION: Mr. Minister, you have a habit of cutting short
your replies. In order to preempt that, I would like to put
my question in two parts. One is, what is your reaction to
Gen. Musharraf's interview to the Washington Post before he
made that speech? The other is, he has suggested that Abdul
Gani Lone's murder is not because of anybody from
their
side, that perhaps it is India who has done it. What is your
reaction?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: I will answer both. Be
assured, I won't cut short my reply as you have apprehended.
So far as the interview to Steve Coll of The Washington Post is concerned, I read both Steve Coll's piece based on the interview and thereafter the excerpts of the interview. It is not the full interview it is only excerpts. The excerpts as I downloaded, ran to seven pages. Steve Coll is a very eminent journalist. He has served in this region. He knows the region very well. I cannot be not candid with you when I say that on reading the interview, I was gravely disturbed. I do not wish to go any further than that because whatever has been published as excerpts stand for themselves. What has been stated there speaks for itself. Unless you, ladies and gentlemen of the press, have all read it, it would not be proper for me to go any further than saying, I find it a deeply disturbing interview if those are only excerpts running into seven pages.
Secondly, the remark that you attribute to Gen. Pervez Musharraf about the late Abdul Ghani Lone is born of the same psychological mentality. I am saddened that for as heinous a crime as murder, Gen. Pervez Musharraf has found it necessary to play this kind of politics with it. I really do not wish to say any more than this.
QUESTION (MR. DEEPAK CHAURASIA, AAJ
TAK): Yesterday in his speech, the
President of Pakistan
has said that there are many organizations in India which
are troubling the minorities and Scheduled Castes. He has
mentioned Gujarat also in his speech. Does India see this as
interference in its internal affairs? If Pakistan is
crossing the limits of diplomatic courtesy, does India think
of severing the diplomatic ties with Pakistan?
SHRI
JASWANT SINGH: You have asked me to comment on what the
General sahab has said. It is not possible for me to comment
on everything. I have said in my statement that the General
sahab mentioning this in itself is saddening. Better leave
it here.
Coming to the question of diplomatic relations between the two countries, there is no such question now.
QUESTION (MS. ANITA SALUJA, THE EXPRESS): How would
you react to the recent missile testing by Pakistan?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: I think the Ministry has already
given a reaction to it and it seemed to have troubled the
General a great deal. The Ministry has said that we are
really not greatly impressed by these missile antics,
particularly as they are based on either imported technology
or acquired hardware.
QUESTION (MR. VINOD SHARMA,
HINDUSTAN TIMES): If you have not heard Gen. Musharraf's
speech, just now you said you did not watch television…
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: I did not, actually.
QUESTION
(MR. VINOD SHARMA, HINDUSTAN TIMES): Most part of Gen.
Musharraf's speech, the first ten minutes, was focused on
the domestic politics. He was trying to justify the
referendum, he was trying to get some political parties to
talk to him, etc. Do you think it is easy for India to deal
with a leader who is not sure of his own ground in his
country? Can he really deliver on the demands that we
are making out here?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: Whether easy or
difficult, my dear Vinod, we have to deal with the world as
it is, not as it ought to be. Therefore, I deal with the
Government of Pakistan as it is. I cannot wish a Government
in Pakistan. That is for the people of Pakistan to decide.
If Gen. Pervez Musharraf had spent some time of the
television interview explaining his conduct, and the conduct
of his officials in the recent referendum, that
is his
and Pakistan's internal matter. So also the question of
certain political organizations in Pakistan being banned or
not banned. That is really their look out. Who is it that we
have to deal with? We have to deal with the Government of
Pakistan. We have always stood for democracy. We will be
very happy if democracy returned to Pakistan.
QUESTION
(MR. DEEPAK ARORA, NATIONAL HERALD): The Home Minister has
talked about a different strategy to deal with cross border
terrorism emanating from Pakistan. What is this different
strategy? Is it going to be one of a proxy war, or
war?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: I am sure you don't seriously
expect me to define war or have a discussion with you on
alternative theories of warfare. But what my senior and
distinguished colleague the Home Minister has said is, if
one particular medicine does not work, then try another
medicine. That is all that he has said.
QUESTION (MR.
RAJIV CHANDRASEKARAN, THE WASHINGTON POST): This week and
the next week will bring two high profile foreign diplomats
here to Delhi. Over the past couple of weeks certainly,
officials in Washington, UK and elsewhere have been engaged
in quite a bit of diplomacy on this front. From your point
of view, have the Governments of the United States and the
United Kingdom been applying enough pressure on Pakistan?
Where is this breaking down? Are they, from your point
of view, applying enough pressure? Or is that pressure just
not being, shall we say, received by Musharraf?
SHRI
JASWANT SINGH: In regard to what you describe as high
profile diplomatic visitors, India continues to receive
diplomatic visitors. You suggest that the United Kingdom and
the United States of America are applying pressure on
Pakistan. Yes, we have also been told that pressure is being
applied. You are enquiring of me whether I am satisfied with
the results of the pressure. I don't think it is my
subjective satisfaction that ought to be of any curious
interest by you. It is really what results we see on the
ground. One of the results of what you have termed as
pressure is today the three missile tests, yesterday's
speech. There are all kinds of other activities engaged
in by the Government of Pakistan. It is really for the
United Kingdom and the United States of America to assess
for themselves as to whether their pressure is working. That
is a stated objective of both these countries, which is, the
fight against terrorism. And it is against terrorism that
there should not be any deviation. That is for the United
States and the United Kingdom to consider.
QUESTION
(AKILESH SUMAN, RASHTRIYA SAHARA): Gen. Musharraf stated
that infiltration across the border has stopped. You are
continuously saying that terrorists and infiltration is
going on. Why can't we declare Pakistan a terrorist
state?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: One question you asked is
whether the infiltration is continuing or not. The
infiltration that happens does not happen for tourism; it
happens for terrorism. When we say infiltration is
continuing, what example should I give to you? The month of
May is yet to come to an end. 14th May - Kaluchak.
Infiltrator and terrorism. After that the Rajouri incident
happened. Again infiltrators and terrorists. We know have
definite information that it is continuing and that is why
we are saying so.
Coming to declaring them as a terrorist state, they are describing themselves with their deeds. There is no further necessity for India to describe them.
QUESTION (MS. MAYA MIRCHANDANI, STAR NEWS): Yesterday in
his speech President Musharraf talked about the attack on
Kaluchak being committed by the people who want to
destabilize Pakistan. What is your assessment? How much
control does he actually have on these elements?
SHRI
JASWANT SINGH: You cannot have it both ways. You cannot have
98 per cent support of the people of Pakistan as I am
informed Gen. Pervez Musharraf has. His own official
information has conveyed that he has the support of 98 per
cent in the referendum. With 98 per cent support, surely it
cannot simultaneously be claimed that I do not have control
or knowledge of what is happening inside Pakistan.
Therefore, it is really
a question that Gen. Pervez
Musharraf has to answer. I cannot answer with any accuracy
in this regard when you ask me how much does the General's
writ run. That is essentially what you are asking. Does the
General's writ run inside Pakistan? Gen. Pervez Musharraf
has time after time said that he does not only have full
control, he also believes in unity of command. We are
informed by all those who are allies of Gen. Musharraf that
he is fully in control, that all agencies of State respond
to him perfectly. Therefore, I am occasionally
intrigued
by this simultaneous, though somewhat contradictory,
assertion - "I am in control, and not in control when it
comes to terrorism." Intriguing!
QUESTION (DR. AWAAD,
MIDDLE EAST BROADCASTING CORPORATION): Did Musharraf leave
in his speech any window of opportunity that you might feel
it is really worth going for a dialogue, or really give him
some time to see? Also, Pakistan has already given some
Chinese wanted by China, some hardcore elements. What is
your comment on this? Why can't India also have the same
thing?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: Pakistan has handed over to
the United States of America criminals that the United
States wants. You have shared with us that they have also
handed over to the People's Republic of China the criminals
that People's Republic of China wants. Not so for India.
What am I to say? The facts speak for themselves.
You have enquired of me whether Gen. Musharraf has suggested a dialogue. India has never stood against a dialogue. We have always said we stand for dialogue we are ready to dialogue. You have to create a climate that is conducive for dialogue. You cannot put a pistol of terrorism to my temple with the finger on the trigger and say, 'Now talk to me, dialogue with me, or else I will press this trigger of terrorism.' It becomes very difficult for me to talk then.
QUESTION
(GERMAN TELEVISION): You are saying India's patience is
running out and there was enough time for Pakistan to do
what you wanted them to do. Can you specify what steps you
are contemplating? In other words, are you willing to risk a
war? When you consider the steps for an answer to Pakistan
are you willing to run that risk?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH:
Please understand. You asked me, how much time are you
giving? Then you enquired of me if I am ready to risk a war.
I would really request you most earnestly to understand that
we are already subject to a war. It is not as if India is
not being subjected to war. The kind of proxy war that we
have been subjected to for the last two decades almost does
not fall into the standard classical pattern of warfare. The
entire international community today is faced with the
threat of terrorism. It has redefined conflict. As has often
been pointed out, why after all did President Bush
immediately after the September 11 attack on the New York
twin towers say, 'A war has been declared against the United
States. We are now at war.' It is a new form of warfare. So
the question that you have asked me really begs the
question. We have been facing a war on our soil, on our
land, against our civilians for almost two decades! When
you, therefore, ask me how much time to war, please
understand!
QUESTION (MR. NILESH MISHRA, ASSOCIATED
PRESS): Is there any possibility of a discussion between
Prime Minister Vajpayee and President Musharraf in
Almaty?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: Almaty is some distance away
yet both in time and in geographical terms. Personally, I
don't see any possibility.
QUESTION (MR. BROOKE UNGER,
THE ECONOMIST): If it becomes clear in the next few weeks
that Pakistan had indeed stopped infiltration, will that
alone be sufficient in the process of reciprocation?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: For those who have not heard the
question, let me repeat it. " If in the coming weeks, 3
weeks-4 weeks, it becomes evident on the ground that
cross-border infiltration for terrorism has been stopped,
the camps inside Pak-occupied Kashmir have been wound up and
not just wound up temporarily, shall we then be ready to
reciprocate by some gesture." - I do not want to go into
hypothetical or speculative answers but I can assure you
that what I have said here in the statement itself. That is,
if Pakistan were to act on the assurances that they have
themselves given, then India shall reciprocate. But we have
to have the action from Pakistan, an action that we can see
on the ground.
QUESTION (MR. BROOKE UNGER, THE
ECONOMIST): But how are you going to judge that?
SHRI
JASWANT SINGH: Here, I must share with you that when it
comes to India and Pakistan, I have actually often said this
earlier. I think I have said it you also, India, Pakistan
and Bangladesh are born of the same womb. We know very well
what happens in the other country. So, if a cosmetic gesture
is made, we know that it is cosmetic. And if a gesture that
is a commitment of a kind and has a permanence in it, we
will know
that it is a commitment. It does not require
any further elaboration.
QUESTION (MS. RASHMI SAXENA, THE
WEEK, MALAYALA MANORAMA): You have said earlier that India
has been advised that we should exercise restraint. My first
question is - Who all have been advising India? And,
secondly, what is their advice now?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH:
Now, you want me to go in an alphabetic fashion all the
countries that have advised us to exercise restraint… It is
understandable that nations of the world when they see a
conflict situation, will confer with the countries concerned
and say please exercise restraint. Even when small clashes
take place in the local square, such thing are said. So, I
cannot give you a list of all the countries that have said
so. But what they also simultaneously add is that they
perfectly understand India's position in this regard.
QUESTION (MS. SHEETAL RAJPUT, ZEE NEWS): President Putin
has said that he wants that there should be some kind of a
dialogue between India and Pakistan. So is there any chance
of this kind of a meeting taking place in a trilateral
forum?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: No, there is no such
possibility. I feel that what President Putin has said is
being misunderstood. When President Bush was in Moscow he
expressed an opinion that since Prime Minister of India as
well as the President of Pakistan are likely to attend the
meeting that is going to take place in Kazakstan, it would
be better if they meet. He did not say that Russia will
mediate in any manner between them. I do not know how you
came to this conclusion. As I said in response to an earlier
question, I do not see such a meeting between the hon. Prime
Minister and the General sahab taking place.
QUESTION
(MR. VINOD KAPRI, SAHARA TV): You said that you did not
watch the address on TV. It may be true. My question is, how
long will India keep on waiting for such kind of speeches?
Or will it take some concrete action?
SHRI JASWANT
SINGH: First of all, in the preface to the question you have
said that what I have stated is not true. Then what reply
would I give and what would you get from it. So, do not say
that. Action is being taken. It is not that action is not
being taken.
QUESTION (MR. SOUMYA BANDOPADHYAY, SAMBAD
PRATIDIN): After all these speeches, especially yesterday's
speech which was disappointing and dangerous, is India
finding it difficult to strike Pakistan because of the
presence of U.S. forces over there?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH:
There is an assumption here. There is an assumption about
striking Pakistan. I cannot go into any theoretical
discussions of such assumptions. Besides, the physical
presence of the U.S. troops in certain parts of Pakistan is
clearly known to us and that has always been factored as one
of the considerations. That is not a inhibiting factor in
policy determinations.
QUESTION (MR. RAJEEV SHARMA, THE
TRIBUNE): How do you react to Gen. Musharraf interfering in
India's affairs when he spoke about Hindu terrorism? And,
secondly, would you consider hauling Pakistan over coals in
the United Nations over Resolution 1373?
SHRI JASWANT
SINGH: For the first part, the absurdity of the statement by
Gen. Pervez Musharraf really merits no response whatsoever.
Secondly, this rather colourful suggestion about hauling
somebody over coals, I am not in the game of hauling anybody
over the coals. 1373 stands by itself. 1373 speaks for
itself.
QUESTION (MR. HARISH GUPTA, THE INDIAN EXPRESS):
The Prime Minister has gone on record saying that it would
have been better for India to have struck soon after the
Parliament attack. Now it is almost five months after that.
What exactly is the state of affairs now? Everybody in this
country wants to know what concrete action you are taking.
You are only saying things for so many months.
SHRI
JASWANT SINGH: No firstly, what the Prime Minister said is,
his statement was in Hindi and it was translated into
English somewhat inaccurately. He did not say that we should
have struck, but that it would have been a better to take
action then. You are recollecting only the first part of
what he had said. He said, yes, that it would have
been
better to have acted immediately after December 13 but the
international community came to us and said, there is a much
larger purpose being served, please exercise restraint.
Therefore, we exercised restraint. That second part leads
you on to what you have asked. For how long can India
continue to exercise restraint? Now, I can say that India
cannot continue to be punished for its patience. In specific
terms, you will appreciate that it is not possible for me at
all.
QUESTION (MR. HARISH GUPTA, THE INDIAN EXPRESS):
What concrete steps you
are taking?
SHRI JASWANT
SINGH: It would not be possible for me to neither share with
you the concrete steps that Government of India will take
nor the time table of the steps that it will take.
QUESTION (MS. CELIA DUGGER, THE NEW YORK TIMES):
…Inaudible…
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: I will repeat the
question. It is a variation of the theme of question that
was asked earlier.
The question is, "Were Pakistan to
take some steps - the second part is your own interpretation
- in the next three to four weeks, would then we be ready to
reciprocate? Secondly, 'Are we ready to wait that long?'
Now, this three to four weeks is your determination. It is
not the Government of India's determination. I have said
clearly, India
cannot continue to be punished for its
patience. But I have also said that if on the ground we find
that action has been taken and it is irreversible action,
then as I have said in the statement, were General Pervez
Musharraf to act on his own assurances, then India will
reciprocate.
QUESTION: In his speech of last night
Gen. Musharraf said that he would reciprocate if there is
aggression from India. He also said that they are not doing
any infiltration. At the same time, this gentleman opens
another front in Drass and Kargil like in 1999. Do you read
any message in it? Heavy artillery of 133 mm guns and others
are being used, it is
not just machine gun or LMG fire,
from across the mountains.
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: Yes, I am
aware of the developments taking place in the Kargil sector,
particularly the Drass sub-sector. I am aware also of the
artillery fire that has come from across the Line of
Control. Does it run counter to what General has said? Of
course, it runs counter to it. And every such incident is
retaliated effectively through a fire
assault by India.
I wish to make it quite clear. I have said it earlier, every
such assault is immediately retaliated by India through a
fire assault and shall be retaliated.
QUESTION: But, Sir,
the question is what is the message the Government of India
is receiving?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: It is a confused
message that is being sent from Pakistan.
QUESTION (MR.
SURESH BAFNA, NAI DUNIYA): Before his departure from Delhi,
the Pakistani High Commissioner, Qazi said that out of the
list of 20 terrorists given by India, only two Pakistanis
were in Pakistan and none of the others is there in
Pakistan. What do you have to say on this?
SHRI JASWANT
SINGH: Denying what the High Commissioner has said does not
befit me at a personal level. Since you asked me a
significant question, I will answer it. This reply of the
High Commissioner, he is not the High Commissioner now, is
far from the truth. The Pakistan Government has full
knowledge about who is where from that list of 20. Saying
that they do not know where Azhar Masood is … And some of
our travelers who have gone to Pakistan said that they have
seen those people themselves. We have received confirmed
reports of people from the list of 20 being seen there.
QUESTION (TIMES OF LONDON): You have been making
statements. Will you take other measures to keep up the
diplomatic pressure on Pakistan till you actually see some
concrete action from President Musharraf?
SHRI JASWANT
SINGH: Of course, it is not as if there is a vacuum of
inactivity other than making statements. There is a constant
diplomatic effort being made to persuade and to pursue what
we are saying in regard to gaining the objective that we
have set up. There must be an end to terrorism in this
region.
QUESTION (MS. SHIVANI RAWAT, ASSOCIATED PRESS TN):
Sir, Pakistan has been conducting these missile tests
despite of international condemnation and on top of that
there have been belligerent statements coming from there. Do
you think that diplomacy is working here? What options are
left for India?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: About the missile
tests, as I have said, I would like to think that diplomacy
is working. It is not that it is not working. It is not for
me to go into a self-condemnatory mode otherwise. And as to
what options we have, I cannot spell out the options. There
are a variety of options that India has and it is not that
other options have been shut out.
QUESTION (MR. RANJIT
KUMAR, NAVBHARAT TIMES): Yesterday, President Musharraf has
termed India as an irresponsible state. What is you comment
on this?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: I think the sheer
irresponsibility of such statements… I recollect very well,
I think it was in this very room that I had the occasion,
because when the December 13 attack took place on our
Parliament, President Pervez Musharraf called it a knee-jerk
. I recollect sharing with all of you that. I'm personally
used to the military malapropism of General Pervez
Musharraf. It's a make believe world of Alice in Wonderland.
Here is an attack on Indian Parliament, on the symbol of
Indian sovereignty. The attack luckily failed. I don't want
to go into any personal sense of, 'Well, I was in Parliament
when the attack took place barely 20 feet away.' But if it
had not failed? Please reflect on it. What is India to do,
the attack having failed? Take it as just another routine
demonstration of irresponsible terrorism? Is there any such
thing as responsible terrorism? I am astounded at, in any
event its military vocabulary, there are limitations on
it.
QUESTION (MR. SAYEED ABBAS, REDIFF.COM): It is eight
months now that India has been a member of the international
coalition against terrorism. Can you kindly explain as to
how much we have achieved? It is high time for India to
fight on its own because we are facing the problem on our
soil.
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: There is one misperception that
you have that we are either fighting through somebody else's
assistance or shooting from someone else's shoulder. Please
disabuse yourself of it. I have always asserted, said so
many times, that India's fight against terrorism did not
start on September 11 in New York, and it does not end
where others might say their fight ends. Certainly,
because there is a principle involved here, we are a part of
the international effort against terrorism, and not because
we need crutches in our fight. What was achieved? Please
reflect also on the fact that one very major factory of
terrorism which had Talibanized Afghanistan, which worked 24
hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to produce
terrorists, that factory is now closed and those terrorists
radiated outwards not simply to other parts of the world,
also to India. I had said that having closed, the epicenter
has now shifted to Pakistan. Therefore, when you ask what
India has gained, India has gained very considerably in this
very long haul of fight against terrorism.
QUESTION (MR.
ANUSH GUPTA, NAVBHARAT TIMES): …Inaudible…
SHRI JASWANT
SINGH: I am a representative of the people. To a certain
extent you also represent public opinion through your
questions. I am not above public opinion. There is a great
amount of anger among the people on this issue. It is not
only a kind of anger, sometimes it appears that the dam of
their patience will breach. The Government decides its
policy by taking all these things into
consideration.
QUESTION (MR. JAIRAM, IANS): You said a
little while ago that if one medicine does not work, then we
should try the other medicine. Is there a suggestion or
admission here, that is, mobilisation of troops?
SHRI
JASWANT SINGH: No. That is your interpretation. I do not
agree to that.
QUESTION (MR. VENKATANARAYAN): Sir, is war
an option between India and Pakistan? If it is not, then
don't you think that you might miss an opportunity by not
accepting President Putin's suggestion for a possible
bilateral meeting between Pervez Musharraf and Vajpayee and
use it as a possible Tashkent II for some kind of
discussions?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: No, there is no
possibility of Tashkent II. As to the first part of your
question, I'm afraid it is not possible for me to respond to
it in a press conference.
QUESTION: The people of India
are fed up with the everyday killing of innocent people. Is
the Government of India still waiting for international
approval to take action while innocent people are dying
every day?
SHRI JASWANT SINGH: No, you are mistaken to
think that the Government of India is waiting for anyone's
approval. Government of India does not work on anyone's
approval. Government of India assesses the situation in its
totality, and through its own assessment and reasoning acts
in accordance with the best interest of the country.
Thank
you very much.