India and Pakistan must talk

The Jakarta Post published a news item on June 21, in three columns captioned India wins G-8 support over Kashmir spat. The intro of the story said that India won key diplomatic support from the G-8 group of major powers on Sunday in its battle with arch-foe Pakistan over Kashmir.

The headline of this item and introduction are totally misleading and incorrect because in the whole story which was circulated by news agencies there is no mention of India winning support as suggested in the headlines. To put the record straight the G-8 summit said "we are deeply concerned about the continuing military confrontation in Kashmir following the infiltration of armed intruders which violated the Line of Control. We regard any military action to change the status quo as irresponsible. We therefore call for the immediate end of these actions, restoration of the Line of Control and for the parties to work for an immediate cessation of fighting, full respect in the future for the Line of Control and the resumption of the dialog between them in the spirit of Lahore Declaration".

Pakistan spokesman in Islamabad expressing satisfaction over the statement of G-8 on the situation in Kashmir said it amounts of virtual endorsement of Pakistan's stand which it had taken in the Sartaj-Jaswant meeting on June 12, 1999. The spokesman said that India's rejection of the dialog process has been clearly not acceptable to G-8. On the other hand, Pakistan's stand that the hostilities in Kashmir should be halted, the Line of Control mutually respected and the dialog be resumed for peaceful solution has been upheld by G-8, the spokesman added.

SYED AYAZ AHMED PIRZADA

Press Attache

Embassy of Pakistan

Jakarta