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Thackeray says nothing will
come out of Agra summit

Our Correspondent in Bombay

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Friday made it clear that he does not expect anything to come out of the Agra summit meeting between Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Speaking at a press conference on the eve of Musharraf's arrival in Delhi, Thackeray said: "A big zero will come out of the summit. The issue of Jammu and Kashmir could not be solved in the last 53 years, what can they hope to achieve in a day?"

Accompanying the Sena chief at the press conference was Lt Gen (retd) P N Hoon, armed with maps of Jammu and Kashmir and the Siachen glacier.

"Our soldiers have laid down their lives for Siachen...the government should not even think of withdrawing from the glacier. And if they do, I will return all the bravery medals I have won in my life," Hoon said.

Criticising Pakistan High Commissioner Ashraf Jehangir Qazi's decision to invite the All Parties Hurriyat Conference to a tea party to be hosted by the commission in Musharraf's honour, Thackeray said: "How come they have not invited Kashmiri Pandits? Are they not a party to the Kashmir problem? Is Kashmir not their homeland? Were they not driven out of their houses."

Asked what, in his view, was the solution to the Kashmir problem, Thackeray in his usual style replied: "The solution itself is a problem. My solution would require me to be in complete control of the Indian Army."

Elaborating the strategic importance of Siachen glacier with the help of maps, Hoon said: "The last peak on the glacier is Indira Peak. It is 21,000 feet above the sea level and it offers a clear view of five countries -- Russia, China, Tibet, Pakistan and India. We should not even think of giving up such a prized possession."

Meanwhile, the Agra unit of the Shiv Sena on Friday said it would wash every place visited by Musharraf during his stay in the city.

The Agra unit chief of the party, Saheb Singh, said Sainiks would hoist black balloons, fly black kites and even wear black clothes to lodge their protest against the summit meeting.

Indo-Pak Summit 2001: The Complete Coverage

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