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Rediff.com  » News » Terrorism derailing peace process: Mishra

Terrorism derailing peace process: Mishra

Source: PTI
January 04, 2006 14:41 IST
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Observing that continued cross-border terrorism posed a threat to the peace process initiated during the National Democratic Alliance rule, former National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra has said that India should ask Pakistan to implement its assurance of January 6, 2004, to 'save' the process from dying.

Mishra also criticised United Progresive Alliance government's 'retrogressive' comment on Baluchistan situation, saying that such comments undermine New Delhi's efforts at the international level.

"What message did we give to Pakistan and Baluchistan is a matter of speculation. Some leaders of Pakistan have already jumped to conclusion that India has something to do with the Baluchistan situation," he said, adding, "It is a mistake for us to talk about Baluchistan or situation in Pakistan as such statements undermine India's efforts at the international level."

"It is important for us to go back to the January 6, 2004, joint statement in which Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf gave an assurance that he will not allow any part of the territory under Pakistan's control to be used for terrorism against India," he said during an interview telecast on CNBC channel on Tuesday night.

 Complete Coverage: Indo-Pak Peace Talks

Referring to the Indo-Pak Foreign Secretary-level talks to be held in New Delhi on January 17 to kick off the third round of composite dialogue, Mishra said New Delhi should convey to Islamabad either before or during the parleys that India cannot continue with the talks if terrorism continued.

"We have to be tough to save the peace process... We have to tell President Musharraf to do this (end terrorism) or the talks cannot go on," said Mishra, who was the NSA when the process started in January 2004.

Agreeing with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that Pakistan had not done enough to end cross-border terrorism, he said, "If India does not make Musharraf implement his promise, this peace process will inevitably die".

The former NSA said it would be difficult to determine the limit of tolerance as Pakistan was alluding with jehadi outfits like Lashker-e-Tayiba to carry out attacks beyond Jammu and Kashmir in places like Ayodhya, Delhi and Bangalore.

Why terrorists struck Bangalore

On Musharraf's proposal of making borders irrelevant, Mishra said the statements coming from across the border were 'confusing' with regard to solution of the Kashmir issue.

"Not only Musharraf, other leaders of Pakistan also jump from one idea to another," he said, wondering how making the borders irrelevant would solve the issue.

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