ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tuesday said a peaceful settlement of the Kashmir issue was an essential Condition for improvement of relations between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Briefing newsmen here, foreign office spokesman said Pakistan would continue to give moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiris and wanted the issue to be resolved within the framework of the U.N resolutions which called for self-determination,

India maintains Kashmir to be an integral part of the country and says any issue between the two countries should be resolved on the basis of the Shimla agreement and through bilateral negotiations. India has also ruled out any third party mediation to resolve any deference between the two neighbors.

To a question about India’s charge that Pakistan was interfering in its internal affairs and aiding and abetting secessionists, the spokesman said Pakistan was not interfering in India’s internal affairs including in Punjab, and was “scrupulously following the policy of good neighborliness and noninterference.”

He said in all meeting the former Prime Minister, Mr Chandra Shekhar, and the Prime Minister, Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao, had with the Pakistan Prime Minister, Mr Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan had expressed the desire to improve relation with India.

“The spokesman said Pakistan hoped that India would reciprocate positively and enter into a meaningful and constructive dialogue on the Kashmir issue.

To a question on the non-proliferation treaty (NPT), the spokesman said Islamabad was willing to accede to NPT simultaneously with India Islamabad was also willing to accept an “equitable and non-proliferation in South Asia, he said. For ensuring nuclear non-proliferation in Sought Asia, he said.

India has said NPT is discriminatory and not in consonance with global disarmament.

The spokesman said Mr Nawaz, Sharif had suggested several measures to bring about nuclear non-proliferation including a conference of five nations including the U.S, Russia and China besides India and Pakistan,

He said he had “no official comment as yet, “on the second call given by the JKLF chief, Mr Anamullah Khan, to cross the line of control into India on March 30.

Article extracted from this publication >> March 13, 1992