ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

Pakistan calls for third party mediation to resolve disputes

Pakistan has conditionally welcomed India's offer for bilateral talks, but called for third-party mediation to assist the two South Asian neighbours in resolving their disputes.

''Our experience tells us that bilateral talks have never borne any results, that's why we stress on the third-party engagement in the (dialogue) process,'' Pakistani Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan said.

Ayub Khan was commenting on a renewed offer by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of direct, bilateral talks.

Vajpayee's offer for talks, he said, was aimed at deflecting the worldwide condemnation of India over its nuclear tests on May 11 and 13 which, he said, forced Pakistan to follow suit after two weeks.

The Indian offer followed a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning the two nations for conducting nuclear tests and urging them to resolve their disputes, including Kashmir, through dialogue.

Ayub Khan hinted that the prime ministers of India and Pakistan will meet on the periphery of a summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation slated in July, in Sri Lanka.

The foreign minister said in a separate interview: ''Unless a third party, maybe the United Nations, the US, Japan or any other country, is involved with an assurance that (bilateral) dialogue would lead to solutions, the Indian offer of dialogue remains useless.''

In New Delhi, meanwhile, Prime Minister A B Vajpayee was optimistic that all outstanding issues with Pakistan could be settled through dialogue.

Asked to comment on his possible meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief during the SAARC summit in Colombo next month, Vajpayee said, ''I hope to attend the SAARC summit and to meet all SAARC leaders to discuss issues of mutual concern.''

In an interview, Vajpayee said India has always been willing to discuss all issues, including those relating to peace and security, with Pakistan.

Asked about the possibility that Pakistan might commit an irrational act in the future, Vajpayee said, ''We remain fully prepared to deal firmly and effectively with any threat to our national security and have taken all steps necessary for safeguarding our security and sovereignty. Let me reiterate that we do not seek war with Pakistan.''

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report