PM rules out talks with Musharraf in New York

By Atul Aneja

NEW DELHI, OCT. 29. The Prime Minister, Mr.Atal Behari Vajpayee today ruled out talks with the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly session in New York next month.

``If I have to meet Musharraf, I don't have to go to New York. We can meet either in Delhi or Islamabad'', he told reporters at a joint press conference after concluding an hour- long-meeting with the visiting German Chancellor, Mr. Gerhard Schroeder.

The Prime Minister's observations assume importance as the visiting German Chancellor this morning had referred to the Agra summit and advocated the resumption of Indo-Pak. talks. Without alluding to the possible meeting at New York, the German Chancellor, in response to a question at the press conference reiterated the need in principle for resumption of the Agra process between India and Pakistan.

Earlier in her regular briefing, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs had said that talks with Pakistan can be resumed only after Islamabad created the ``right atmosphere'' by reining in cross-border terrorism. India's track record showed that it had always taken the initiative for talks with Pakistan, she added.

The Prime Minister said he had discussed with Chancellor Schroeder, the ongoing global campaign against terrorism. This struggle, he said, needed to be pursued to its logical conclusion. Similar sentiments were expressed during talks between Germany's Federal Interior Minister, Mr. Otto Schilly who is accompanying the German Chancellor and the Home Minister, Mr. L.K Advani. Both leaders after their meeting this morning felt that the campaign against terrorism should not exclude Jammu and Kashmir.

At the press conference Mr. Vajpayee and Chancellor Schroeder agreed the need for positioning a broad-based post- conflict regime in Afghanistan.

India is convinced that representatives of the Northern Alliance should be accommodated in a new political arrangement in Kabul. The Northern Alliance represents Afghanistan's ethnic minorities, including the Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks and Shias. India is also willing to endorse a role for the former Afghan King, Zahir Shah to cobble together a new coalition.

India and Germany agreed for a prominent U.N. role in facilitating a post-Taliban transition. India wants the U.N.- sponsored initiative, of what are called ``six plus two'' countries, designated to bring normality in Afghanistan, to cease. Instead, it wants a new 15-country initiative that includes, besides itself, Germany and Japan along with the five permanent members of the Security Council. India has already discussed this proposal with Russia.

The two leaders urged greater activism by the world community for the post-conflict reconstruction. India has already pledged a loan of around $100 million for the purpose.

With the visit of the German Chancellor taking place after several years, the two sides decided to hold annual summit meetings.

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