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PM rules out monitoring of LoC by international observers

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Wednesday rejected Islamabad's suggestion for monitoring of the Line of Control by international observers and instead proposed joint patrolling by Indian and Pakistani forces to check infiltration of militants into Jammu and Kashmir.

He also ruled out de-escalation on the border till there was 'correct verification' of an end to infiltration and dismantling of terrorist camps in Pakistan.

"It is not practical to allow a third country to see whether infiltration is taking place and it is also not needed," Vajpayee told a press conference in Almaty before leaving for New Delhi after his four-day visit to Kazakhstan during which he, along with 15 other leaders, including Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, attended a regional security summit.

Asserting that infiltration was being encouraged from across the border, Vajpayee said, "If Pakistan decides that it will not support infiltration, then both countries can set up a joint patrolling mechanism."

Stating that some 3,000 terrorists are waiting in camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir ready to infiltrate into India, he said Islamabad was 'not keeping its word' on halting terrorism.

"The question of de-escalation comes last. Why did the need for deployment arise in the first place - to stop infiltration," Vajpayee said responding to a question.

He said Pakistan has claimed that infiltration has 'stopped or has been stopped'.

"But only after correct verification can steps leading to de-escalation be considered," the prime minister said.

"As per our information, infiltration continues unabated," he said adding that even while the CICA summit was in progress on Tuesday, there were reports of violence from the border areas.

He said the international community also favoured end to infiltration and dismantling of terrorist camps in Pakistan.

Ruling out any need for third party mediation, he said India and Pakistan together can find solution to bilateral issues adding, however, that Pakistan must have an 'intention' to do so.

The prime minister said India had got unprecedented support from the international community on the issue of cross-border terrorism and that Pakistan was under world pressure to check it.

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