Efforts to Be Made to Avert War: Indian Prime Minister

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 19, 2001

Efforts to Be Made to Avert War: Indian Prime Minister

Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said Wednesday in New Delhi that efforts would be made to "avert a war" with Pakistan though New Delhi would keep all options open in fight against terrorism.

During a special debate on last week's attack on parliament in both houses of the parliament, Vajpayee said that decisions in theinterest of the country would be taken after thorough consideration of all issues, according to the Press Trust of India(PTI).

"It would be a well thought out plan. But at the same time, allefforts should be made to avert a war (with Pakistan). Options other than war should be explored and experimented," the Indian leader told members of Rajya Sabha, upper house of the parliament.

Decrying international community for asking India to show restraint following the attack on parliament last Thursday, Vajpayee said there could not be different yardstick in the fight against global terrorism.

In an apparent disapproval of the United States and other countries which asked India to exercise restraint, Vajpayee said, without naming any country, that "those counseling us restraint should also give the same advice to our neighbor."

Terrorism had to be seen in totality. It was not enough if terrorism was wiped out only in Afghanistan. It had to be rooted out all over the world for which entire international community should cooperate, he was quoted as saying.

The fact that the terrorists had knocked at the doorsteps of parliament house "is a matter of serious concern as well as challenge" to India's democracy and national identity, he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Vajpayee rejected once again Pakistan's demand for a joint probe into the attack.

"There is no question of a joint probe into the attack," he wasquoted as saying in an address to Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament.

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