Peace overture from Pakistan to India
Pakistan made a major peace overture to nuclear rival India today with a telephone call from Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali to his Indian counterpart Atal Bihari Vajpayee, state media reported.
Jamali asked Vajpayee to resume negotiations with Islamabad, offered to visit India “in the cause of peace,” and urged the two arch-enemies “to resolve outstanding issues through dialogue,” Pakistan Television said.
Tensions have been high between the two South Asian neighbours, who have fought two of their three wars over the disputed Kashmir region.
So far India has refused negotiations with Pakistan, demanding Islamabad first end cross-border infiltration by Muslim militants into Indian-ruled Kashmir.
Pakistan says it is doing all it can to seal the border and has asked for an increase in international monitors to verify Islamabad’s claim.
During the conversation Jamali told Vajpayee he welcomed his original offer of talks. Vajpayee made the offer during a visit last week to the troubled Indian-Kashmir capital Srinagar.
But Vajpayee qualified the offer, saying Pakistan had to close training camps for militant secessionists and end cross-border infiltration. Pakistan denies involvement in either.
Islamabad does, however, say it gives political and moral support to separatists operating in Indian-ruled Kashmir.
International attention focused on the region only after India tested a nuclear device in 1998 and Pakistan followed with a test of its own.
Both countries have declared themselves nuclear powers and there are fears that another conflict could escalate into a nuclear confrontation.
