'Clear Link Between ISI And Terrorist Groups'

Full text of the Statement by Jack Straw, June 10, 2002.

With permission, Mr Speaker, I should like to make a statement about the situation inIndia and Pakistan.

Intense diplomatic efforts and decisions made in recent days by the Governments ofIndia and Pakistan give grounds for some optimism, and the tensions have eased a little.Nonetheless, with a million men under arms on either side of the Line of Control in a highstate of readiness, the risks of a conflict are still significant. With both countries inpossession of nuclear weapons, the potential consequences for the region and the widerworld are devastating.

HISTORY

Let me give some brief background and then set out the action, which Her Majesty’sGovernment, working particularly with the US Government, has been taking.

The territory of Kashmir has been the subject of dispute since Independence in 1947.Three major wars have been fought between India and Pakistan in 1948/49, 1965 and 1971 andthere was a particularly bloody battle in Kargil in 1999, on the Indian side of the Lineof Control.

The people of Kashmir have been caught in the middle of all this, at a cost of tens ofthousands of lives, with even more displaced. There has long been serious concern in theinternational community about the human rights deficit in Jammu and Kashmir, and about theconduct of some elections there.

Mr Speaker,

In the last decade or so the character of the conflict has changed with the incursionof armed militants across the Line of Control into India from the Pakistani side. A numberof terrorist organisations including Laskhar e Tayyaba, Jaish e Mohammed and HarakatMujahideen, each of which I proscribed when I was Home Secretary, have been at theforefront of violent activity within the region.

India has long charged that such terrorism has had the covert support of successivePakistani Governments, and in particular the Inter-services Intelligence Directorate(ISID) the main intelligence agency in Pakistan. Her Majesty’s Government acceptsthat there is a clear link between ISID and these groups.

Towards the end of last year India suffered two serious terrorist outrages. On 1October more than 40 people died in an assault on the State Assembly in Srinagar. On 13December the Indian Parliament building itself in New Delhi was attacked, leaving 14 dead.

In response to intensive diplomatic pressure, including the visit to the region by myRight Honourable Friend the Prime Minister, President Musharraf delivered a speech on 12January in which he pledged that 'No organisation will be allowed to indulge in terrorismin the name of Kashmir'.

From early May, when the heavy winter snows began to melt, there was however anincrease in terrorist activity in Jammu and Kashmir and a rise in levels of infiltrationacross the Line of Control. This renewed violence included an attack on 14 May on apassenger bus and residential quarters of the Indian Army base at Kaluchak, killing 34people, mainly women and children. A week later the prominent moderate Kashmiripolitician, Abdul Ghani Lone, was assassinated.

INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY

Mr Speaker, the dispute between India and Pakistan is at root a bilateral matter whichcan only be resolved by direct dialogue between the parties. But it is a dispute withpotent international implications, both because of the potential scale of any militaryaction including the possible use of nuclear weapons, and because, post-September 11th,new imperatives have been imposed on all member states by UNSCR 1373 to take effectiveaction to counter terrorism.

Since last autumn, and particularly since the resurgence of violence in recent weeks,this conflict has been high on the international community’s agenda. There has beenintensive diplomatic activity from the US and UK Governments, Russia, China, other EU andG8 countries, and of course from those in the region.

As part of this co-ordinated diplomatic effort, I visited Pakistan and India on 28 and29 May. I had discussions in Pakistan with President Musharraf and Foreign MinisterSattar, and in India with Prime Minister Vajpayee, External Affairs Minister Singh, HomeMinister Advani and Defence Minister Fernandes and leader of the Opposition Mrs Gandhi.

In Islamabad, I underlined to President Musharraf the need for Pakistan to takevisible, decisive and verifiable steps to: seal the Line of Control; to stop supplies tomilitant groups; to help restrain the violent activities of these groups; and to close themilitant training camps on Pakistan’s side of the Line of Control.

In Delhi, in my meetings with Prime Minster Vajpayee and External Affairs MinisterSingh, I stressed that, as Pakistan demonstrated that it was taking the necessary steps toclamp down on terrorism, India should respond positively. A number of possible steps toreduce tension were discussed with both sides. I also underlined to the Indian Government,once again, the need for them to take steps to improve the human rights situation in Jammuand Kashmir and to ensure free, fair and inclusive elections in Jammu and Kashmir thisautumn.

Before my visit Commissioner Patten visited the region and held discussions with bothsides. Last week at a regional Conference in Almaty, both Russian President Putin andChinese President Jiang Zemin met separately with President Musharraf and Prime MinisterVajpayee. My Right Honourable Friend the Prime Minister has spoken at length to both sidesand to Presidents Bush and Putin about the situation.

Following my trip, US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage visited both countrieslast week. Mr Armitage was given a categorical undertaking by President Musharraf that thesealing of the Line of Control would be 'permanent'. The Government of India describedthis as a 'step forward' and said that it would respond 'appropriately and positively.'Separately the US and UK governments have assessed that there appears to have been asignificant reduction in incursions across the Line of Control since the end of May.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

I am pleased to tell the House that when I spoke this morning to my Indian counterpart,Jaswant Singh, he told me that India was announcing today that restrictions on overflightsfrom Pakistan over India were to be lifted, and that the name of the next Indian HighCommissioner to Pakistan was being made public. I also understand that the western andeastern Indian fleets are returning to port.

We have therefore seen both sides take first steps in the right direction. But theposition is still precarious. Terrorism is still a threat. The situation will continue torequire the engagement of the international community for some time.

Like my Right Honourable Friend the Prime Minister, and President Putin, President Bushhas made clear that he intends to remain personally involved. US Defence Secretary DonaldRumsfield will be visiting India and Pakistan this week. The international efforts againstterrorism and the Kashmir crisis will be an important agenda item for the meeting of G8Foreign Ministers in Whistler, Western Canada, which I shall be attending later this week.Fellow EU Foreign Ministers are discussing the matter today.

Mr Speaker, the present crisis has, of course, had direct consequences for many UKcitizens and their families. The UK has up to 3 million citizens who are of South Asianorigin.

As Secretary of State I have to balance our wider foreign policy interests with mydirect duty of care for all UK citizens in the region and for British government staff andtheir families, whether UK-based or locally engaged. In response to specific terroristthreats, I decided on 22 May to reduce the level of staff at British Government posts inPakistan. At the same time our travel advice was amended to advise against all butessential travel to Pakistan. As the House was about to rise, I wrote to all colleagues togive details.

As tensions increased between the two countries, I announced on 31 May a draw-down ofless-essential British staff and their families from all posts in Pakistan and from newDelhi and Mumbai and also issued new travel advice for India. Last Wednesday (5 June) Iannounced a further strengthening of our advice in respect of both countries.

Mr Speaker, we are also working hard to keep the South Asian communities here properlyinformed about what we are doing. My right honourable Friend the Home Secretary metrepresentatives of these communities on 29 May to listen to their concerns. And I held asimilar meeting the following day on my return from the sub-continent.

Our High Commissions in New Delhi and Islamabad are amongst the busiest visa andconsular operations in the world. Throughout this difficult period we have maintained aservice in India, albeit at a reduced level. Visa and consular operations in Pakistan hadto be temporarily suspended, but I am pleased to tell the House that a limited serviceresumed last Thursday (6 June).

Mr Speaker, notwithstanding the more hopeful signs, the situation in the region remainsdangerous. The problems between India and Pakistan cannot satisfactorily be resolved bymilitary means. This would only lead to more suffering, and potentially devastatingconsequences for everyone. Working with our international partners, particularly with theUS, our diplomatic efforts are there to encourage both sides to take the necessary stepsto end terrorism, to reduce tensions and to enter into effective dialogue. Only then canwe hope to break the cycle of crises and secure a permanent peaceful settlement to theissue of Kashmir.