India Rules out De-escalation on Indo-Pakistan Border

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, February 26, 2002

India Rules out De-escalation on Indo-Pakistan Border

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Indian President Kocheril Raman Narayanan said Monday that deadlocked dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad could not be resumed unless Pakistan put an end to "cross-border terrorism" against India.

In his opening address to the joint session of the parliament, Narayanan ruled out de-escalation on the border between the two neighbors while offering to talk to any group in the disputed Kashmir which abandons violence.

"Terrorism and dialogue can not go together," said the president, adding that his country was prepared to resume the dialogue process with Pakistan, provided Islamabad satisfied New Delhi that it had indeed taken effective steps to end the training, equipping and financing of terrorists against India.

Declaring that India was according highest priority to national security, Narayanan told the parliament that far-reaching reforms were being carried out in higher defense management, leading to closer coordination among the three services and integration of military and civilian defense structures.

A separate defense procurement board had been set up to speed up defense purchases, making them more responsive to needs of the armed forces and to bring greater transparency in procurement, he informed the parliament.

In his 22-page address, Narayanan said the armed forces had been fully mobilized along the Indo-Pakistan border and had maintained vigil despite difficult conditions.

Both houses of the parliament will discuss, among others, the new budget for the year 2002-03, which begins on April 1, and the tenth five-year plan beginning this year.

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