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Infiltration is 'unacceptable', Vajpayee tells Sharief

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had told his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharief, in no uncertain manner, on Tuesday that the infiltration of motivated, trained and well-armed mercenaries into the Kargil sector was ''unacceptable'' to India and it would be compelled to take steps to repulse the intrusion.

Disclosing this in New Delhi today, an external affairs ministry spokesman said Vajpayee, concerned over the situation in Kargil, told Sharief that the intrusion was a ''new challenge'' to India as it involved the use of regulars of the Pakistan army.

The prime minister made it clear that India would not allow any intrusion to take place and would take all possible steps to evict the intruders.

Asked what was the response of the Pakistani premier, the spokesman said Sharief was of the view that the director generals of military operations must establish contact with each other.

The spokesman stated that India's protest to Pakistan over the infiltration had been conveyed to Islamabad unambiguously.

He did not agree with a suggestion that large-scale infiltration into Kargil could be called a failure of the government. ''It is a difficult terrain... They (infiltrators) have been spotted and action is being taken''.

The spokesman categorically stated that the Indian air strikes in the Kargil sector were confined to the Indian side of the Line of Control.

He also did not give any credence to the suggestion that a war-like situation prevailed in Kargil. ''We are not using air power against anyone...We are only engaged in an exercise to check infiltration''.

The spokesman read out a lengthy statement to the press, alleging that the infiltration was obviously undertaken with the ''full complicity and support'' of the Pakistan government and indications were that it involved both the Pakistani army regulars and highly-trained, well-armed and motivated mercenaries. The Pakistan army had systematically prepared these intrusions as was evident from the scale and intensity of the operations.

''It is clear that Pakistan's actions are a blatant violation of the Simla agreement and the Lahore Declaration'', he added. He noted that Article 1(2) of the Simla agreement clearly says that both countries ''shall prevent organised assistance or encouragement to any acts detrimental to maintenance of peaceful and harmonious relations''. Article 4 (2) of the agreement states that the LoC ''shall be respected by both sides and they shall refrain from threat or use of force in violation of this line''.

The spokesman said India, on its part, had always observed the sanctity of the LoC. ''We have on numerous occasions, including during the composite dialogue between the two countries, told Pakistan that its repeated violation of the LoC must stop. Preservation of the LoC sanctity and adherence to status quo in Jammu and Kashmir, as defined in the Simla agreement is the starting point for any process that seeks to address this complex issue''.

He said Pakistan had a long record of ''provocative activity'' across the border through sustained training, arming and infiltration into India. ''We have called upon Pakistan repeatedly to abandon this policy of sponsoring cross border terrorism which is totally counter-productive'', he added.

The spokesman said there could not be a stable bilateral relationship between the two countries as long as Pakistan continued to engage in its ''confrontational and hostile activities''.

The spokesman called upon Pakistan to adhere to its obligations under the Simla agreement, the Lahore Declaration and the composite dialogue process to which, he said, New Delhi was committed.

UNI

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