'India committed to talks with Pak.'

By Atul Aneja

NEW DELHI, NOV. 2. India is committed to carrying forward the Agra process, the Foreign Secretary, Ms. Chokila Iyer, has said. Addressing presspersons here, she said ``we have not closed the doors. But an atmosphere has to be made conducive for a dialogue to take place.''

India's persistence on talks with Pakistan was unquestionable. This was evident during the Lahore summit and then in Agra, notwithstanding the Kargil war and the Kandahar hijack.

The purpose of the visit of the U.S. Defence Secretary, Mr. Donald Rumsfeld - arriving here on Sunday - was ``to meet the Defence Minister and discuss the present international situation,'' Ms. Iyer said.

Mr. Rumsfeld is coming after concluding a visit to Russia, Pakistan, the Persian Gulf and Central Asia in the backdrop of a perceptible tactical shift in the U.S. war against terrorism. In fact, the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, said today at a press conference along with the visiting Greek Foreign Minister, Mr. George A. Papandreou, that Washington was ``readdressing military tactics'' in Afghanistan. Without naming any country, Mr. Singh said the international community should take note of the possibility of the weapons of mass destruction falling in the hands of terrorists.

In response to a question, Ms. Iyer said India had a natural interest in Afghanistan. Mr. Singh too described Afghanistan not as part of Central Asia but of ``an enlarged South Asia.'' India was ready to re-equip the Indira Gandhi hospital in Kabul as part of its effort to step up humanitarian aid, Ms. Iyer said.

She also exchanged notes on post-conflict rehabilitation of the northern neighbour with the British Special Envoy on Afghanistan, Mr. Robert Cooper. Both sides reinforced the need to prioritise Kabul's reconstruction. India had already pledged $ 100 million for the purpose, Ms. Iyer said.

Loidolt to be summoned

PTI reports:

Despite an apology for his controversial statement on Kashmir, the Government today decided to summon shortly Maj. Gen. Hermann K. Loidolt, chief of the U.N. military observer group in India and Pakistan, and issue him a ``verbal demarche.''

Maj. Gen. Loidolt had said New Delhi and Islamabad were playing ``political games'' and that the U.S. should play a role in resolving the Kashmir issue. India has termed the statement ``unwarranted and uncalled for.''

Ms. Iyer said Maj. Gen. Loidolt had already apologised and would soon be meeting officials of the External Affairs Ministry.

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