NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan should reduce military forces as a step to reducing tension between the two countries, a visiting European parliamentary delegation said Saturday.

Stevenson, who led the delegation to Pakistan and Azad Kashmir before coming to India, said high military expenditure was not in anyone’s interest.

To a question about Pakistan’s demand for a plebiscite on Kashmir, he said the Kashmir problem was serious and at this stage nothing should be ruled out.

He said India, Pakistan and the people of Kashmir had their own arguments on Kashmir which was one of the “significant reasons” for tension between the two countries.

Bilateral discussion to resolve the Kashmir tangel was welcome but the é issue was also pending before the United Nations.  

He regretted that the delegates were not allowed to visit Kashmir by the Indian government for “reasons best known to themselves”.

Asked about what the delegation felt about Pakistan’s: nuclear program Stevenson said both India and Pakistan deny that they had nuclear programs aimed at military purposes.

He said the delegation did not accept that Pakistan did not have a military nuclear program and at the same time, India too had carried ‘out a nuclear test in 1974.

Stevenson said the delegation welcomed the recent changes in economic policy brought about by India.

He regretted the postponement of the SAARC summit in Colombo and hoped that it would take place soon.

Friedrich-Wilhelm Graeffe Zu Baringdor of Germany said India on : Pakistan should both withdraw their forces from Kashmir and seek the help of an international organization to solve the issue.

Jose Vasquez Fouz of Spain who also addressed the press conference said no dispute could be resolved through violent means and the international community should condemn terrorism wherever it took place.

Gunter Luttge, also from Germany, regretted the cut in aid to Indi his country but said resources should not be spent for military purpose but diverted to economic and social development.

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