India Reiterates Stand on Pakistan

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, January 20, 2002

India Reiterates Stand on Pakistan

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India reiterated on Saturday that its future course of action towards Pakistan would depend on Pakistan's action against terrorism, including stoppage of infiltration, arms supply and refuge to terrorists who take India as their targets.

"India will decide its future course of action on the basis of these responses," Home Affairs Minister L. K. Advani said in his address to a national seminar on "Islam -- Message of Peace Against Terrorism", organized by the Islamic Council of India in New Delhi.

While describing Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's televised speech last week as "important and path-breaking", the minister said "mere speech is not enough. We have to see whether infiltration stops, whether terrorists continue to get arms and refuge" in Pakistan.

The tense relations between India and Pakistan have escalated since the terrorist attack on Indian parliament last month, which New Delhi said was sponsored by those in Pakistan.

Both sides reinforced tens of thousands of troops along their common borders and the line of control in disputed Kashmir.

However, Advani described as "immaterial" the question whether there would be another war between the two neighbors, saying that a war had been inflicted on India by Pakistan in the last 20 years.

New Delhi had decided that its response would be different from what it made before December 13 last year, which Advani termed as a turning point for India in its relation with Pakistan.

He told Muslim leaders in his country that the war against terrorism was not between Christians and Muslims nor hindus and Muslims, but between a civilized society and barbarians.

Advani attacked Musharraf for his allegedly backtrack on an extradition treaty between the two countries, which, he said, Islamabad initially agreed last July.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha said on Saturday that India had the necessary economic strength to withstand a possible war with Pakistan, though it had been affected by the world-wide recessionary trends.

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