M A I N   N E W S

USA for talks on Kashmir: Powell

Islamabad, October 15
The USA will push India and Pakistan to resume their dialogue on Kashmir to relieve tensions over the issue which could lead to conflict and damage the USA-led war on terrorism, Secretary of State Colin Powell said today.

Demonstrators pick up stones to throw at the riot police in Karachi on Monday. — Reuters photo

He told reporters travelling with him on a visit to Pakistan that he would press the rival nuclear powers to cool their rhetoric over Kashmir, respect a border demarcation line and avoid any military action there.

“We believe dialogue on Kashmir is important,” he said. “We believe maintenance of the Line of Control and the exercise of restraint is also very very important and the avoidance of provocative acts which could lead to a conflict of any kind.”

“I hope we will all have that mutual goal in our discussions.”

Meanwhile, Mr Powell who arrived here amid demonstrations in various parts of the country is expected to impress upon India and Pakistan to revive the peace process and work for “reconciliation” while encouraging them to take confidence-building measures to reduce the possibility of a nuclear confrontation.

Pakistan today said it did not regard the Taliban militia as terrorists and stated it would voice concern over the killings of innocent civilians and any prolongation of US air strikes in Afghanistan in talks with Mr Powell.

Addressing a media briefing hours before Mr Powell’s arrival here, Foreign Office spokesman Riaz Mohammad Khan said Pakistan had never regarded the Taliban as terrorists as the Afghan militia controlled 90 per cent of the territory.

“The Taliban are not terrorists. We never regarded them as terrorists. They continue to control a large part. We continue to deal with them. They have their embassy here,” Mr Khan said.

Even the USA has not branded the Taliban as terrorists. All it wanted was that the taliban should hand over Osama bin Laden. This was also stated by US President George Bush. But the problem arose due to the reluctance of the militia to hand over Bin Laden to face trial for the terrorist attacks in the USA, he said.

On the consequences of a prolonged conflict in Afghanistan, he said prolongation was a source of concern. With prolongation we could expect mishaps in which innocent lives would be lost. Neither Pakistan nor the USA would like it to happen, he said, adding that this was the reason why Pakistan preferred a short military operation. UNI, PTI