'Dialogue And De-escalation'

Full text of the Joint Press Conference held with Foreign Minister JaswantSingh

Jaswant Singh: Ladies and gentlemen of the press, good evening. It is mydistinct pleasure, and also honor, to -- what? You didn't hear me? This is mygreat pleasure and honor to be welcoming Secretary of State Colin Powell hereagain. We were -- on account of the fact that he has traveled both to Kabul andalso to Islamabad, he was delayed in reaching here, and rather than keeping allof you good folk waiting, we thought it best that we meet you now briefly. We'lltake two to three questions each, and then after we meet you again tomorrow(inaudible) after the Secretary of State has had his meetings with the PrimeMinister.

I am really very happy to be able to have exchanged views on regional -- onAfghanistan situation, on the situation in Pakistan, on the situation in respectof India and Pakistan. Of course also in regard to development and furtherprogress that is required in regard to Afghanistan.

I would request the Secretary of State to say whatever he wishes to, and thenI would require Nirupama to manage event. Thank you very much.

Colin Powell: Thank you very much, Jaswant, for welcoming me back toIndia. It is a pleasure to be here again. And we once again had a good exchangeof views and I look forward to meeting with other officials tomorrow, as well aswith the Prime Minister.

As you all know and as the Minister just mentioned, I am on my way to Tokyoto participate in a conference on reconstruction of Afghanistan, and I know thatIndia will be playing an important role in this effort and in this conference,and I welcome the contribution that India has made and will continue to make aswe get about the task of giving the Afghan people hope for a brighter future.

We of course talked about the situation in the region. I briefed him on myconversations in Islamabad yesterday with President Musharraf and with ForeignMinister Sattar. I am pleased that we continued to be in constant dialogue withone another to find a peaceful solution through political and diplomatic meansto the challenge that we are now facing in the region.

I always value being with the Foreign Minister and to benefit from his wisdomand his long experience, of course, in his position. And so, Mr. Minister, Iagain thank you for your hospitality and we welcome the questions from thepress.

Question: Jonathan Wright from Reuters. A question for Foreign MinisterSingh. Mr. Powell has mentioned on his way here that he would welcome politicaland diplomatic steps such as reopening of the border and reopening of air spaceand a reversal of the diplomatic sanctions that were taken. Is India prepared totake these steps?

Jaswant Singh: Diplomatic sanctions? I really don't know what you mean by"diplomatic sanctions." The border has not closed. It's aninternational border. Travel is still possible (inaudible) but up to Bagram andup to Atali. People with valid travel documents continue to move between our twocountries.

Am I ready to take further steps in regard to -- of course, India has alwaysbeen ready and shall continue to take further steps, but I have to see action onthe ground. We have welcomed what General Musharraf said on his speech on the12th of January. It was largely addressed to reforming society and polity withinPakistan. And I said then, and I repeat because we mean it, we wish the peopleof Pakistan well.

And I also wish that all the statements and the announcements that GeneralPervez Musharraf has made really do translate themselves into action, becausethat will, in terms of management of external affairs, contribute greatly to thebenefit of the international community in its fight against terrorism. And wewould cooperate and welcome fully with General Pervez Musharraf in that regard.And as soon as we see demonstration of it on the ground, we will respondadequately and fully. Be assured of that.

Question: Sir, this is a question for the Secretary of State. Sir, youhad said on your way from Islamabad that you would be bringing some ideas hereto India to work, both the countries, towards peace, both India and Pakistantowards peace. I would like to get your views on what those ideas were, and alsoget your reaction to what our Foreign Minister just said, that India would liketo frame it in the following way, that first there is action on the ground andthen dialogue with Pakistan, whether America agrees with that point of view.

Colin Powell: On the second point, it's a conversation and a point he hasmade to me many times. We have had this conversation many times that words areone thing and expressed changes of policy are one thing, but they're looking foraction on the ground. It's perfectly understandable.

We have seen some action with respect to the arrest of extremists. We haveseen action with respect to the banning of organizations. We have seen a varietyof other actions take place with respect to closing down of the offices of theseorganizations. And it is up to India to make a judgment as a sovereigndemocratic nation as to whether these actions constitute sufficient basis forthem to change the policies that they are pursuing at the moment.

But as the Minister just said, President Musharraf did make an importantstatement to the people of Pakistan and to the international community, and wewill be monitoring his actions in the days and weeks ahead. This is also aconversation I had with him yesterday.

And I do have some ideas, to the first part of your question. I have sharedsome of them with the Minister this evening. And I'm sure I'll have theopportunity to share these ideas with the Prime Minister and others tomorrow,but I think I'd better share them with them before with you.

Question: The question is addressed to Secretary of State, Excellency.There's a reported statement coming out from a Pakistani minister in Dubai wherehe says that India if is asking for extradition of 20 terrorists, we can ask for(inaudible). I mean, from India as well. What is your view on that? Is it notthat Pakistan is not ready to hand over those terrorists, sir?

Colin Powell: Pakistan is in receipt of this list of 20 individuals thatIndia has presented. India, I am informed this evening, will be presenting moreinformation with respect to these individuals. And what the Pakistaniauthorities have said to me is that they are hoping to get more information andevidence. And as was said in President Musharraf's speech on last Saturday,appropriate action will be taken with respect to those individuals on the listwho are non-Pakistanis. And if they are Pakistanis and have committed crimes,then if they can come into custody or be brought into custody, action will betaken against them in accordance with Pakistani law.

And so the more evidence we can provide, the better. And I am pleased thatthe Indian Government has indicated they do have more information that would behelpful in resolving this question of the list of 20.

Question: What about the handing over of terrorists, sir?

Colin Powell: That is a judgment for the Pakistani Government to makewhen they are in custody or brought into custody. And as President Musharrafsaid in his speech, he did not rule this out. And in my conversations with him,he did not rule this out also. He considers that appropriate action mightinvolve returning them from whence they came.

Question: (Inaudible) with the Indian Express. This question isfor Secretary Powell. What, in your opinion, in your country's opinion, do youthink that the conversion of the line of control into the international boundarymight help the resolution of the Kashmir dispute?

Colin Powell: I'm not sure I understood the question totally. I think atthis point what I would say to that question is that we are anxious to see adialogue begin between India and Pakistan on all of these issues, to includeKashmir. And we hope that the current situation we find ourselves in can beresolved as quickly as possible and that part of the resolution of the situationwill include the beginning of a dialogue where all questions, such as the oneyou raised, can be dealt with between the two sides.

The United States will be always standing by ready to help our two friends,but it would be unwise of me -- and, frankly, irresponsible of me -- to make ajudgment of a particular position we might take in the future on any of theseissues.

Question: Secretary of State, this question is for you. In his speech inwhich he addressed the nation, President Musharraf stuck to his stated stance onKashmir, stating that Kashmir runs in blood of Pakistanis. And time and again,Mr. Musharraf has tried to involve the international community, including theUnited States, to mediate between India and Pakistan.

What is your view regarding this?

Colin Powell: I think it is a view that I have expressed consistentlyever since the speech was given is that the question of Kashmir has to beresolved by direct dialogue between the two parties. To the extent that we canhelp bring that dialogue about and to the extent that both sides ask us toassist them as they go through the dialogue, the United States is always readyto assist its two friends. But it must be a dialogue between the two parties.

Jaswant Singh: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the press. We are goingto meet again tomorrow. The time at which we will meet you will be informed byNirupama. It will not be before -- roughly around 12:30 or so. It will be around12:30 or so. The venue and the exact timing you will be informed. Thank you verymuch. Good night.

Colin Powell: Thank you.