Kashmir, Bosnia fight for freedom: Bhutto<\/p>\n
CARTAGENA DE INDIAS, Colombia (JP): Pakistan's Prime Minister
\nBenazir Bhutto, likening the separatist movement in the Indian
\nprovince of Kashmir to the plight of Bosnia, suggested that
\nIndia's missile program would likely spark a regional arms race.<\/p>\n
\"The Cold War is over but the fight for freedom continues all
\nover the world including in Kashmir and Bosnia,\" she told some
\n50 heads of state and government at the opening of the three-day
\nNon-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit.<\/p>\n
In her address to leaders, which included Indian Prime
\nMinister Narashima Rao, she noted that the question of Kashmir's
\nindependence is the oldest unresolved item on the United Nations
\nagenda, going all the way back to 1948 when the world body called
\nfor a plebiscite of self-determination.<\/p>\n
\"The people of Jammu and Kashmir have endured long nights of
\nsuffering. Over forty thousand have been killed, women have been
\nraped and children have been kidnapped,\" Bhutto said, adding
\nthat, regardless, \"the light of freedom still burns in the hearts
\nof the people\".<\/p>\n
She asserted that NAM must be firm against aggression and
\nsuggested that the 113-nation organization form a mechanism to
\ndeal with such atrocities.<\/p>\n
\"Some international problems involve NAM states. We believe
\nNAM should look at the possibility of establishing conflict
\nprevention and a resolution mechanism,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Despite her assertions, she maintained that the rebellion in
\nKashmir \"has nothing to do with Pakistan.\"<\/p>\n
Rao in his summit address lashed out at Bhutto's remarks,
\nsaying she had violated the conventions of the meeting by
\nbringing up bilateral issues.<\/p>\n
He retorted by saying that Bhutto's accusation was a
\n\"distortion of facts\" and asserted that Kashmir and Jammu are an
\nintegral part of India.<\/p>\n
\"It is my government's intention to protect the lives of
\nIndian citizens in that region,\" Rao said, adding that Bhutto's
\nsuggestion for an independent Kashmir was an illusion.<\/p>\n
Speaking to journalists, Bhutto had earlier expressed her
\nconcern with the military escalation in India.<\/p>\n
\"We feel that in India the development of missiles with
\nnuclear warheads will begin a new arms race and that these
\nwarheads can hit Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Yemen,\" she
\nremarked.<\/p>\n
The Pakistani leader then said she would like to enter into
\nnegotiations with India to address the concern. (mds)<\/p>",
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