rediff.com: India rules out Clinton mediation: AFP

A top Indian diplomat has dismissed the possibility of US President Bill Clinton launching a mediation initiative between India and Pakistan over Kashmir during his upcoming South Asia trip.

"The government of India feels that the very fact of third-party mediation will complicate the problem," Naresh Chandra, the Indian ambassador to the United States, told a media conference.

Clinton said last month that he "absolutely" would be willing to mediate the ongoing dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, if both parties requested it.

"It is a hugely important area of the world," Clinton pointed out, adding that he believed that if the Kashmir dispute could be resolved, the subcontinent could become "the great success story of the next 50 years".

Chandra said India would give Clinton its views on the security situation in the region, including Kashmir. But he made clear the US president would not be asked to play any mediating role between India and Pakistan.

"I don't think we will request the president to carry a message from our side to Pakistan," said Chandra. "We are neighbours and we are quite capable of talking with each other."

The ambassador stressed that Pakistan needed to take "certain steps" before the two countries could resume dialogue on improving bilateral relations frozen since last year's clashes between Indian troops and Pakistani-backed Muslim militants in Kashmir.

"Unless shooting stops or, say, terrorism is brought down to a level where it is not of a nature that totally complicates dialogue and strains credibility, there is not much point in wasting time on a dialogue," argued Chandra.

The ambassador said that although Pakistan's return to civilian government is not India's official demand, historically, his government has been much more successful in reaching agreement with Pakistani civilian leaders.

"I would like you to review the developments of the past," noted Chandra. "And you will find out that whichever important agreement we have made, it was with an elected prime minister or president."

©AFP 2000 All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed. All reproduction or redistribution is expressly forbidden without the prior written agreement of AFP.


	HOME \| NEWS \| AFP \| REPORT