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Pakistani FM Warns Of "Regression" In Kashmir
ISLAMABAD, Jan 24 (News Agencies) - Pakistani Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar Wednesday warned of "regression" in the budding peace process in Kashmir unless India allowed Kashmiri leaders to visit Islamabad for talks.
He was responding for the first time to India's extension Tuesday of its unilateral ceasefire in the divided Himalayan state and its demand that Pakistan stops supporting "cross-border terrorism."
He said "prospects will remain frozen" until India responds to Pakistan's request to allow a delegation of Kashmiri leaders to visit Islamabad for talks.
"At this point I can say that until and unless the Indian government takes a positive decision with regard to the visit of the Hurriyat conference delegation to Pakistan, then the prospects will remain frozen and there will be a danger of regression," he told state-run Pakistan Television.
"We will try our best to avoid that regression, but we need Indian cooperation in order to move forward."
He said Pakistan was committed to peace in Kashmir but was increasingly concerned by India's wavering over the proposed visit by the All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference leaders.
After New Delhi declared its ceasefire in November, Islamabad withdrew some of its troops from the border and invited the Hurriyat for talks on how to proceed with a three-way dialogue between India, Pakistan and the Kashmiris.
The team was scheduled to arrive here around January 15th but so far India has not approved the necessary travel documents.
"Our government is interested in giving a forward impulse to break the stalemate and deadlock in South Asia, in moving toward a positive outcome," Sattar said.
"We had been hopeful, but unfortunately the delay that has taken place in the decision by the government of India with regard to facilities for the Hurriyat delegation to visit Pakistan is causing us anxiety, anxiety as to whether there will be forward movement or not."
The Hurriyat is the main alliance of parties on the Indian side of divided Kashmir.
Pakistan's invitation to the Hurriyat is the first time Islamabad has agreed to allow the Kashmiris a place in any proposed dialogue from the start and is seen here as a significant concession for peace.
But India insists talks with Pakistan are impossible until it drops its alleged support for Kashmiri outfits, many of which operate from Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
Muslim groups have rejected Tuesday's extension of the ceasefire, first announced in late November, as a "deception".
Pakistan, which controls the northern third of Kashmir, on Tuesday accused New Delhi of regularly violating the ceasefire and demanded an end to "Indian repression and the commencement of a purposeful dialogue."
Kashmir was divided between India and Pakistan in 1947 but remains claimed by both. The conflict in Indian-controlled Kashmir has claimed more than 34,000 lives since 1989.
India accuses Pakistan of fuelling the "terrorist" insurgency but Islamabad insists it provides only moral support to the legitimate freedom struggle of Kashmiri Muslims.
A veteran leader in Pakistan-administered Kashmir Wednesday threw his support behind India's ceasefire despite ongoing opposition.
"The Indian government, particularly Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, deserves full credit for extending the ceasefire in Kashmir," said Sardar Abdul Qayyum, who heads the Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference party.
The former president and prime minister in Azad (Free) Kashmir urged Islamabad to do more to further the fragile peace process.
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