Britain offers to mediate on Kashmir issue

Britain has offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue, if the two countries so desired.

''We are willing to help India and Pakistan in whatever manner possible to resolve the issue. But we will not try to impose ourselves,'' British Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Derek Fatchett said in New Delhi on Friday.

Fatchett, who is on a five-day visit to India, welcomed the resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan at the highest level and hoped the recent initiatives of Prime Minister I K Gujral and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharief would soon bear fruit.

Fatchett made it clear that there was no change in Britain's view that the best way of resolving all the problems between India and Pakistan, including Kashmir, was through bilateral talks.

The minister, who is the first representative of the Tony Blair government to visit India, said he had extensive discussions with Indian leaders on a wide-range of issues, including economic and political matters.

He held talks with Minister of State for External Affairs Kamla Sinha, Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram, Industry Minister Murasoli Maran, Environment Minister Saifuddin Soz, Jammu and Kashmir Autonomy Commission chairman Karan Singh among others.

Fatchett sought to dispel the impression that the Labour government might reverse Britain's policy on Kashmir as was indicated by Prime Minister Blair in his election speeches. ''There is no shift in Britain's policy on Kashmir after the installation of the new government six weeks back. The issue should be resolved by the two countries and any long-term solution would have to have the consent of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,'' he said.

He said he did seek India's permission to visit Kashmir during his visit. However, later on, he changed his mind so that the issue did not become more difficult especially at a time when India and Pakistan were carrying on dialogue for normalisation of relations.

UNI