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Vedrine backs Clinton's offer to mediate in J&K

French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine, who is in India, today endorsed United States President Bill Clinton's offer to help resolve the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan.

In a statement that is unlikely to go down well with the ministry of external affairs, Vedrine said, "We (the French government) can well understand the United States' offer to help mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. They are worried about the situation and we too are."

The French minister added, "If US mediation can shift the situation, then we understand the US desire (to mediate)."

It may be recalled that over the last couple of days, US President Bill Clinton has reiterated his offer to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir dispute. However, the US president added the rider that he would step in only if both countries desired it.

Clinton had also said that he regarded Kashmir as one of the most dangerous spots in the world, spawning a dispute between two nuclear states.

The ministry of external affairs was sharp and curt in its reaction. Asked about Clinton's statement, the ministry spokesperson R S Jassal retorted, "We don't share that assessment."

He also said that India's position on resolving the Kashmir dispute was too well known to be repeated. India has always asserted that Kashmir is a dispute that must be resolved bilaterally between India and Pakistan, as stated in the Simla Agreement and later endorsed by the Lahore Declaration. However, Pakistan has, over the years, sought international mediation, saying that the Simla Agreement did not bar it.

Other officials in the ministry also sought to play down Clinton's statement.

"In the past, so many people have shown an interest in resolving the Kashmir dispute. Offers of mediation have been made by the likes of Sheikh Hasina (Bangladesh prime minister), Kofi Annan (United Nations secretary general), and Nelson Mandela (then South African prime minister).

"We have rejected all such calls for mediation and will do the same to the offer of Clinton," he said.

Strangely, when External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh met Hubert Vedrine for a two-hour meeting earlier in the day today, Jammu and Kashmir was not discussed.

"The two ministers did not specifically discuss the situation in Kashmir but spoke on the general south Asian situation and about India's relations with her neighbours," the ministry spokesperson said.

India's former permanent representative Prakash Shah saw the statements as a pressure tactic being exerted by the US on India just prior to the visit.

"We were desperate to have Clinton over to India, and now he is making such statements to put us on the backfoot even though he knows India's stand. It is clear that the US is keen to play a role here," he said.

Shah said these statements had emanated from the Washington DC though Indian Prime Minister A B Vajpayee had said that India would accept no mediation in Kashmir, which he termed as an "internal matter".

He pointed out that the US was also using a likely visit to Islamabad as a pressure tactic on India.

"The way out for India is to stand firm and make it clear that while they can talk on Kashmir, we will not," he stated.

However, former foreign secretary J N Dixit said that there is no need for concern over Clinton's statements and Vedrine's backing of the plan, saying this only reflected the present international situation.

"Bill Clinton's statements are pressure tactics. The US knows India's position and knows that it will not accept any mediation, hence we need not worry," he said.

EARLIER REPORT:
Vedrine, Jaswant protest American domination of culture

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