rediff.com: Clinton to speak to Pak following massacres

Conveying Washington's deepest sympathies over the massacres in Jammu and Kashmir, United States President Bill Clinton Wednesday night told Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that he would speak to leaders of Pakistan and ''do everything possible to contain such activities.''

Clinton's stiff warning to Pakistan comes in the wake of Washington's repeated calls to Islamabad to stop cross-border terrorism in J&K and create the right atmosphere for resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue.

The US president, who telephoned Vajpayee, also expressed admiration for the prime minister's ''positive response'' to the cease-fire offer of Hizbul Mujahideen, a statement by the Prime Minister's Office said in New Delhi.

Clinton conveyed to Vajpayee his deepest sympathies and support for India following the massacres in J&K.

Vajpayee responded by pointing out that every peace initiative had been responded to by terrorist acts sponsored by Pakistan.

He referred to the Kargil intrusion last year, following the initiative taken by his bus journey to Lahore, the massacre of Sikhs in Chittisinghpura during the visit of Clinton to India in March and the latest massacres.

Vajpayee said the people of India were asking how long India would exercise restraint in the face of such outrage.

He added that in such circumstances, there was no basis for a ''meaningful dialogue'' with Pakistan. At the same time, the peace process in J&K would continue, he asserted.

Clinton said he looked forward to the prime minister's visit to United States next month and in particular to the address of a joint session of the US Congress.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's military ruler General Pervez Musharraf said India and Pakistan should seize the ''window of opportunity'' provided by the Hizbul Mujahideen's cease-fire offer for resuming dialogue for a lasting solution to the J&K problem.

''The decision has been taken by the Hizbul and one sees a window of opportunity in whatever is happening around. It is up to India and Pakistan together to take this opportunity and start the process of dialogue towards an ultimate resolution of this long-standing dispute,'' he told BBC's news online programme.

To a question on the killings in J&K on Tuesday night, he said, ''Every time the Inter-Services Intelligence and Pakistan are blamed. We certainly condemn the killings and there is no involvement whatsoever of Pakistan.''

Reiterating his offer of a no-war pact, Musharraf said, ''Let's forget about the past. I want peace. I am for reduction of armed forces. I am for a no-war pact between India and Pakistan.''


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