DUBAI (PTI): India May 25 rejected any mediation bid by a third country to resolve the Kashmir issue: between New Delhi and Islamabad.
“People can advise on friendly basis. But we cannot accept any mediation, “India’s minister of state for external affairs R.L.Bhatia told newsmen here.
Bhatia, who received UAE’s assurance of full cooperation and support to India in combating terrorism in the country, was commenting on a report from Washington that the United States was exploring a peacemaking role with India and Pakistan, similar to the one that brought Arabs and Israelis on the negotiating table.
“Kashmir issue is a bilateral matter (between India and Pakistan) and we do not want any outside interference,” he said.
He said India wanted to improve relations with all its neighbors and had done $o except in the case of Pakistan because Islamabad continued to aid and abet militant activities in Punjab and Kashmir.
Foreign Secretary J.N.Dixit, who was also present at the Press conference, said the secretary Level talks between India and Pakistan, suspended since last August, could resume only when Islamabad gave ample evidence that it had stopped supporting militant activities in India.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 28, 1993
