Fernandes rules out third-party mediation

By K. Balchand

PATNA, NOV. 12. The Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, today supported the U.S. decision to continue military operations in Afghanistan during the holy month of Ramadan and reiterated that there would be no third-party mediation in resolving the Kashmir problem.

Mr. Fernandes, on a two-day visit to Bihar, did not comment directly on Saturday's joint statement by the U.S. President, Mr. George W. Bush, and the Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, on Kashmir but said a third party could not come into the picture. It was for India to resolve the Kashmir dispute. And the entire Kashmir, a major part of which is in Pakistan's control, and the part gifted by Pakistan to China, was part of India. The Minister was confident that the U.S. action would not stop once the objective in Afghanistan was realised. The issue had figured in talks the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, had had with Mr. Bush and the British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, and their Defence Secretaries.

UNI reports:

Mr. Fernandes ruled out the possibility of a long-term military tie-up with America but said some U.S. proposals were under consideration in view of the war in Afghanistan. The U.S. had sent some proposals to India for cooperation in military logistics and these were under consideration.

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