India wants strong, stable Pakistan, says Pranab

NEW DELHI—Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said strong, stable and prosperous Pakistan would be helpful to India. Hoping that the people of Pakistan would be able to overcome the current crisis, he said “we wish them all success in their endeavours.” Pranab Mukherjee was responding to questions at a luncheon meeting with editors of Indian news agency PTI on Friday.
When questioned on reports in the western media over the dangers of Pakistani nuclear weapons falling into “jehadi hands”, Mukherjee said “everybody will have concerns if they (nuclear weapons) fall into wrong hands or if non-state actors have access to them. But, perhaps now President Musharraf is in command of the situation and I think he is also the civilian head of the command of the nuclear system.”
Mukherjee said Pakistan had gone through many difficult situations in the past, but, at the same time, it had shown there was “strength and resilience in the system to overcome them”. When asked the developments in Pakistan could lead to increased violence in occupied Kashmir, he said “problems” in the state were there and were not new. “Sometimes infiltrations and terrorist activities are accelerated and decelerated. Perhaps, terrorism cannot be switched on and switched off. In many of the countries it has taken a long time to settle the issue.” India was engaged in a Composite Dialogue with Pakistan and it was pinning hopes on the assurances in the Joint Statement of January six, 2004 that Pakistan’s territory would not be allowed to be used by terrorists, he said.
When asked about India’s experience in dealing with President Pervez Musharraf, Mukherjee said he had declared a ceasefire in November 2003 and “till now it is holding and the border is peaceful.” President Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have had several rounds of discussions and institutional arrangements were in place including the joint anti-terror mechanism. “Though it (the mechanism) has not proved fruitful as yet, let us hope the situation will improve further”.
When questioned as to whom India would deal with in Pakistan, he said, “let us not surmise about individuals and what is going to happen in the future. We have to deal with the leadership of Pakistan as and when they have been established”. Referring to Siachen issue, he said some talks have taken place. “But it has not been possible to arrive at an arrangement which can be described as some sort of solution. But talks are still on”.
Explaining the Foreign Policy of India, he said “India does not believe in exporting its ideologies and dealt with neighbours as they are. We have learnt to live with systems that prevail (in the neighbourhood),” he said.
Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee is to visit Pakistan early this year to review the progress during the fourth round of composite dialogue between the two countries. Briefing the media on Friday, Pakistani Deputy High Commissioner Afrasiab said the Indian Foreign Secretary would accompany the minister.
The fifth round of composite dialogue would also be launched after the review meeting, he said.
He said more than one hundred Indian dignitaries and diplomats had visited the Pakistan High Commission to record their condolences on the tragic death of Benazir Bhutto. They included Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Foreign Minister PranabMukherjee, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister I K Gujral, BJP leader L K Advani, former Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh and Kashmiri leader Syed Ali Gilani. Mirwaiz Umer Farooq had sent a condolence message.
Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik received them and appreciated thesentiments expressed by them for a Pakistani leader. Afrasiab also said Pakistan Prime Minister has sent New Year greetings tothe Indian Prime Minister and other Indian leaders. Pakistan High Commissioner sent a flower bouquet with good wishes to Sonia Gandhi, who was admitted to hospital a few days back due to chest infection and fever.—APP