'I Expect General Musharraf To Do More'

Judy Woodruff, CNN

Judy Woodruff, CNN: Mr. Secretary, to India andPakistan now. Much of the focus in the last few days on Pakistan, and PresidentMusharraf saying he is now prepared to crack down on terrorists operating in hiscountry. That's where the focus has been, but now people are asking, what aboutIndian troops on the border with Kashmir. Are you going to be asking Indianleaders to do something about that?

Colin Powell We're going to be discussing all of these issues. I ampleased at the developments of the last two or three days. President Musharrafmade a very important speech, an Islamic leader saying that jihad should be forthe purpose of educating people and for the purpose of lifting people out ofpoverty, and extremism has no place in his society.

He spoke out against all forms of terrorism, and he spoke out againstterrorism emanating from anywhere in Pakistan or under Pakistan control. And atthe moment we have a very tense, delicate situation along the line of control inKashmir, and also along the international border. And I think we have stabilizedthings right now to the point where we can continue working the diplomatic andpolitical track and persuade everyone that that is the direction we shouldcontinue to move, and the last thing we want to see happen right now in SouthAsia is a war between these two nuclear-armed states.

President Musharraf has done more than just speak. He is taking action. Hehas banned terrorist organizations, he is arresting people, and the Indians havetaken note of all of this. So I think I have quite a bit to work with when I gothere later this week in my discussions with both sides.

Judy Woodruff, CNN: But you do want them to remove --the US does want India to remove those troops?

Colin Powell We want to see us get back to a situation where theIndian Army is no longer mobilized, they move back to their original positions.We want to find a solution which will allow Pakistan to move its forces awayfrom the border so that we have less tension at that border, less opportunityfor some incident to spark a conflict between the two sides.

Neil Cavuto of Fox News

Neil Cavuto, Fox News: First, sir, onto what you make ofPakistan's efforts to crack down on some of these terrorist groups.

Colin Powell Well, I think President Musharraf made a very importantstatement over the weekend. I mean, he spoke to the Pakistani people and saidthat this form of extremism and terrorism has no place in Pakistani society. Heis an Islamic leader who came out strongly and talked about his religion. It's areligion of peace. It's a religion of tolerance. And I think that was veryimpressive, and the Indians took note of that.

He is also taking action. He has banned additional terrorist organizations.He is now arresting people and he has said terrorism will not emanate any longerfrom anywhere in Pakistan or Pakistani-controlled territory. And I think theIndian response to that speech was measured, was positive, frankly. And now theIndians are looking for action, and I think they will see President Musharraftake action in the days ahead.

And so I think that as a result of his speech and the Indian reaction, we nowhave an opportunity to let the diplomatic and political process work to try todefuse this crisis, and in due course I hope we'll reach a point where bothsides can start to take de-escalatory steps, both political, diplomatically, aswell as of course militarily.

Neil Cavuto, Fox News: Mr. Secretary, India hasexpressed some regret that this crackdown on extremists hasn't extended to allguerilla groups, particularly those of the Kashmir region. What do you make ofthat?

Colin Powell Well, I understand that the Indians would like to haveseen more done, but it's a very strong beginning. And it just didn't happen overthe weekend. For some months now, President Musharraf has been speaking in theseterms, but his speech over the weekend was really quite historic and I hope wewill see further actions in the days and weeks ahead that will persuade everyoneof his commitment to this new future for Afghanistan, a future where this kindof extremism, this kind of terrorism, is no longer tolerated.

Neil Cavuto, Fox News: Now, they've still got a milliontroops along their respective border there.

Colin Powell Yes, yes.

Neil Cavuto, Fox News: Any sign at all that that'seasing?

Colin Powell No, I mean, there are a million troops, if that's theright count, facing each other, and that always has to be seen as a dangeroussituation. We are trying to find a way to make sure that no spark ignites aconflagration between these two forces. And I think we have made progress in thelast several days, but one shouldn't expect the whole situation to be resolvedas the result of one speech. The Indians are looking for more action. But Ithink we have stabilized the situation so that we can now use diplomaticactivities, diplomatic intervention, to start to find a way to go down theescalatory ladder, rather than up.

Neil Cavuto, Fox News: If they come to blows, whoseside do we take?

Colin Powell We don't want to see them come to blows. We don't evenwant to think about that option. We do not want and cannot have a war in SouthAsia at this time, and all of our efforts are being directed to avoiding such awar. We have good relations with Pakistan, we have good relations with India,and we --

Neil Cavuto, Fox News: But we need Pakistan a littlemore, right?

Colin Powell And we will be using those good relations to keep a warfrom breaking out. And this is not the time to speculatively choose sides.That's not our strategy. Our strategy right now is to work as hard as we can tokeep such a war from breaking out.

John Roberts Of CBS

John Roberts Of CBS: You're also traveling to India andPakistan to try to dial back tensions there. President Musharraf of Pakistan, animportant speech over the weekend, banning five Islamist groups, arresting 1,500militants. Has he done enough? Is it now India's turn to make some move towardde-escalating the tensions?

Colin Powell Well, he did give a very, very important speech, and hehas taken action. I expect him to take more action.

John Roberts Of CBS: But do you believe that Musharraf hasdone enough, that India needs to show some good faith here?

Colin Powell The Indians have to make the judgment as to when theymove their forces, and I will point out to them what has transpired in recentdays, and we'll have a discussion about this. And so that's what I want to talkto them about to see if we can find ways to go down this de-escalatory ladder.

John Roberts Of CBS: Is this analogous to theIsraeli-Palestinian situation in that one group of terrorists, one act ofterrorism, could throw these two sides back to the brink of war again?

Colin Powell I'm afraid that is the case. If you had another act ofterror of the kind we saw in New Delhi last month, then everything can beescalated back up to a very dangerous level.

Tom Brokaw Of NBC

Tom Brokaw, NBC: Secretary of State Powellleaves tonight for the war area, where he hopes to persuade India and Pakistanto back away from their military standoff over that terrorist attack on India'sparliament. Over the weekend, Pakistani President Musharraf promised to crackdown on terrorism, so I asked Powell if India is now prepared to back off.

Colin Powell Well, I think they have deployed and they are in forwardassembly areas, but it isn't quite hair-trigger, and that's what we want to keepfrom happening. We don't want it so much of a hair trigger that the slightestthing will set it off.

President Musharraf gave a very important speech. He talked to the Pakistanipeople and said we can no longer have extremism in our society or terrorism inour society, and he has acted on that statement by banning terroristorganizations, and I expect him to do more. He has arrested a large number ofpeople. And so he is taking action.

Tom Brokaw, NBC: But even with all of hiscontrol and authority, President Musharraf can not control all of the terroristgroups. If there is another incident, do you think that the Indians are preparedto go nuclear against Pakistan?

Colin Powell I don't even envision anything such as a nuclear strikebecause of a terrorist incident. I think both sides realize that they arenuclear-armed, and the last thing that can be allowed to happen in South Asia isa conflict that would result in the use of such weapons. And India has a policyof not using such weapons in the first instance. So we don't even want tocontemplate or think about that.