Q. We have been maintaining for the past one-month that the meeting of Hurriyat leaders is a non-issue? But in spite of that there seems to be going to be a meeting with Musharraf. Do you consider even now also that it is a non-issue because Mr. Musharraf himself has made it an issue?
Ans. So far, the Government has made its position clear. I don’t have to keep repeating it ad infinitum. The invitation to His Excellency, President Gen. Parvez Musharraff Saheb was to meet with the Prime Minister of India. These are extraneous elements that have been brought into the situation. We are disappointed by this and we feel that so far as the meeting is concerned it will go on as planned.
Q. Does it mean that you, from the Government of India will send a representative for the High Tea at Pakistan House?
Ans. No. It does not mean that. That was not the question but the Government will observe all due protocols in this regard.
Q. What concrete expectations you have in the Agra Summit in the context of this pessimism?
Ans. I continue to expect that the meeting will go on as scheduled and we will address, and both sides will address the totality in relation between the two countries.
Q. Pakistan has been focussing on Kashmir and Kashmir alone. Will this be a hinge to the summit or in creating an element of tension?
Ans. As far as we are concerned, we are very clear in our mind that there is a composite dialogue which has eight components: of which eight components confidence building measures, Jammu and Kashmir, all these issues are part of the dialogue. It is really up to Pakistan now to have its own priorities. India’s priorities are very clear.
Q. Mr. Minister, a few days ago, your Government announced a series of re- confidence building measures, even announced that the Director General of Military Operations from India would go to Pakistan? How have you responded to Pakistan’s response? They said that these matters could be settled after the summit.
Ans. If you are referring to the proposed meeting between the two Directors General of Military Operations, they have already been in touch with each other twice and I think they both agree that between now and the meeting between the
President and the Prime Minister perhaps there is not enough time to prepare for it and so we shall meet after the meeting and that is all right with India.
Q. Are you going into the summit with any specific set of proposals for Jammu & Kashmir?
Ans. No, we are not so far as Jammu & Kashmir is concerned we do believe that as in earlier years on several earlier occasions India has not ever fought shy of engaging in talks with Pakistan on Jammu and Kashmir. Similarly, on this occasion too, we have no difficulty about talking on Jammu and Kashmir. But we don’t have any set proposals on Jammu and Kashmir as such.
Q. Indian team includes the Finance Minister and the Commerce Minister. whereas the Pakistani team does not include their counterparts. How do you view this?
Ans. Here the Prime Minister determines the Prime Minister’s delegation for the talks and it demonstrates the priorities that India has. It is really up to Pakistan to what priorities that it attaches to its own delegation or its composition.
|
