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India rules out war with Pak

India today firmly ruled out any war with Pakistan, adding that it was awaiting a positive reply from Islamabad to its proposals for normalisation of bilateral relations.

''There is no question of war with Pakistan. We are not going in for it ," principal secretary to the prime minister, Brijesh Mishra, said while replying to a question over destruction of terrorist camps across the border.

He said India was in favour of a dialogue with Pakistan, and it is for Islamabad to take the initiative.

His comments are significant in the wake of border clashes between the two countries on the Line of Control.

Mishra stated that India was ready to have discussions on the Kashmir issue with Pakistan.

The principal secretary, who fielded wide ranging questions on India's relations with its neighbours and the United States, emphatically stated that there was no shift in the foreign policy of the nation.

He said India's concern over terrorism in Kashmir and ''our position on Pakistan Occupied Kashmir" had been conveyed to Pakistan during previous discussions.

When former prime minister I K Gujral visited Dhaka, he submitted a eight-point proposal to Pak premier Nawaz Sharief on normalisation of relations.

Mishra said, "We have yet to hear from the Pakistani leader, his response to these proposals, made in January last during the tripartite summit."

Asked whether the BJP government supported Gujral's proposals, he said Pakistan knew that the BJP endorsed these proposals aimed at putting the relations back on the rails.

He said the BJP government was committed to the resolution passed by Parliament in 1994, which declared PoK as part of India.

Mishra's observation was in response to a question regarding converting the LoC into the international border.

He also denied press reports that there was any differences between India and Bangladesh. India fully abides by the water treaty with Bangladesh, which calls for a review only after five years.

UNI

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