Posted on 06/07/2002 1:43:44 PM PDT by mhking
India rules out US-UK border vigil
SIDDHARTH SRIVASTAVA
TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ FRIDAY, JUNE 07, 2002 8:24:42 PM ]
NEW DELHI: India has ruled out patrolling by a US-UK monitoring force along the Line of Control, saying it was not practical.
A bilateral mechanism was the only way to a solution, the ministry of external affairs said on Friday. "The issue was not discussed between External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage,'' the ministry spokesperson said.
However, Armitage later said: "I discussed the issue of joint patrolling by Indo-Pak troops with both Musharraf and Vajpayee. The modalities of monitoring the LoC still have to be worked out and no decision has been taken."
Armitage, who is on a peace mission to India and Pakistan, had wide-ranging discussions with Singh on Friday morning and later met Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the evening. Armitage met Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday.
India also ruled out immediate joint patrolling by Indian and Pakistan troops, a proposal mooted by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in Almaty recently.
"No formal request will be made to Pakistan until there is evidence of concrete action on the ground to control infiltration and cross-border terrorism," the spokesperson said.
"Pakistan is perfectly capable of checking infiltration if it really wants to and a dialogue can be started only if there is concrete action on the ground,'' she added.
I agree with you there, but putting our guys there with bullseyes on their backs won't fix anything for long.
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