DATE=6/30/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43767
TITLE=PAK / KASHMIR
BYLINE=SCOTT ANGER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AS INDIA'S MILITARY CONTINUES ITS CAMPAIGN TO EXPEL
INSURGENTS FROM STRATEGIC MOUNTAIN-TOP POSITIONS IN KASHMIR,
BEHIND-THE-SCENES DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS HAVE BEEN IN PROGRESS TO
KEEP THE SUB-CONTINENT FROM ALL-OUT WAR. AS CORRESPONDENT SCOTT
ANGER REPORTS, PAKISTAN SAYS IT HOPES TO FIND A PEACEFUL SOLUTION
TO THE CRISIS, WHICH HAS LED TO THE MOST SERIOUS CRISIS BETWEEN
THE TWO COUNTRIES IN 30 YEARS AND FEARS OF AN ALL-OUT WAR IN THE
REGION.
TEXT: WESTERN COUNTRIES, LED BY THE UNITED STATES, HAVE STEPPED
UP PRESSURE ON PAKISTAN TO RESOLVE ITS DISPUTE WITH INDIA OVER
KASHMIR.
OFFICIAL-LEVEL TALKS ARE DEADLOCKED BECAUSE INDIA IS BLAMING
PAKISTAN FOR STARTING THE CURRENT CRISIS. INDIA HAS SAYS NO
NEGOTIATIONS WILL BE HELD UNTIL THE ARMED INSURGENTS ARE
WITHDRAWN BY PAKISTAN FROM INDIAN KASHMIR.
THOUGH EACH SIDE CONTINUES TO TALK TOUGH, THE TWO COUNTRIES HAVE
QUIETLY STARTED DIALOGUE AIMED AT RESOLVING THE SITUATION.
PAKISTAN'S FORMER FOREIGN SECRETARY, NIAZ NAIK, HAS HELD
UNOFFICIAL MEETINGS IN NEW DELHI WITH INDIAN PRIME MINSTER ATAL
BEHARI VAJPAYEE AND OTHER HIGH LEVEL OFFICIALS.
THE MESSAGE HE CARRIED TO INDIA HAS BEEN THE SAME SINCE TENSIONS
BEGAN TO ESCALATE IN EARLY MAY -- THAT PAKISTAN IS WILLING TO SIT
DOWN AND RESOLVE THE LONG-STANDING DISPUTE OVER KASHMIR.
PAKISTAN'S DIPLOMATIC MISSION TO NEW DELHI FOLLOWS A SIMILAR ONE
BY INDIAN OFFICIALS TO ISLAMABAD.
THE CURRENT CRISIS OVER KASHMIR BEGAN OVER TWO MONTHS AGO WHEN
ARMED MUSLIM INSURGENTS OCCUPIED STRATEGIC MOUNTAIN-TOP POSITIONS
IN INDIAN KASHMIR. INDIA'S MILITARY RESPONDED WITH MASSIVE
GROUND AND AIR ATTACKS IN AN EFFORT TO DRIVE THE INTRUDERS FROM
ITS TERRITORY.
WESTERN DIPLOMATS SAY THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT PAKISTAN IS GIVING
SOME SUPORT TO THE INSURGENTS. THEY SAY SPY SATELLITE
PHOTOGRAPHS SHOW PAKISTAN'S INVOLVEMENT -- BUT THEY ARE RELUCTANT
TO DISCUSS THE EXTENT OF THE PAKISTANI SUPPORT.
EVER SINCE THE INDIAN ARMY BEGAN OPERATIONS AGAINST THE
INSURGENTS, PAKISTAN HAS MAINTAINED THAT IT HAS NO CONTROL OVER
THE GROUPS, WHO IT SAYS ARE INDIGENOUS FREEDOM FIGHTERS HOPING TO
FREE KASHMIR FROM INDIAN RULE. PAKISTAN ALSO SAYS THAT THE LINE
OF CONTROL IS NOT WELL DEFINED IN THE RUGGED MOUNTAINS OF
KASHMIR. EVEN SO, IT INSISTS THAT NONE OF ITS TROOPS HAVE
ENTERED INDIAN TERRITORY.
PAKISTAN HAS HOPED THE SITUATION WOULD LEAD TO THIRD-PARTY
MEDIATION AND AN EVENTUAL SOLUTION TO THE 50-YEAR DISPUTE. BUT
INDIA, WHICH CONTROLS TWO-THIRDS OF KASHMIR, REJECTS ANY OUTSIDE
MEDIATION AND SAYS THE MATTER SHOULD BE SETTLED THROUGH
BI-LATERAL NEGOTIATIONS.
PAKISTAN AND INDIA HAVE FOUGHT TWO WARS OVER KASHMIR SINCE
BRITISH RULE ENDED ON THE SUB-CONTINENT IN 1947. THE TWO
COUNTRIES ARE THE WORLD'S NEWEST NUCLEAR POWERS, WHICH HAS RAISED
FEARS THAT A CONVENTIONAL WAR COULD ESCALATE INTO A NUCLEAR
EXCHANGE. (SIGNED)
NEB/SA/LTD/KL
30-Jun-99 11:44 AM EDT (1544 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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