MOSCOW: Soviet president Gorbachev has reiterated that there should be no outside interference in Kashmir.
Talking to reporters aboard the special aircraft while returning from the Soviet Union Vishwanath Pratap Singh said there has been no doubt about the Soviet Union’s stand that Kashmir was an integral part of India.
Singh, while answering a question said his visit was not intended to specifically discuss Pakistan. Relations with all neighbors were discussed.
Later talking to the press at the Delhi airport, Singh said that India had impressed upon Pakistan that a bilateral dialogue could be meaningful only if it reciprocated with “friendly behavior”.
On Sri Lanka, Singh said India had already taken the initiative and told Colombo that it should have Tamil refugee camps in its country. He said help from international agencies had been sought for the Tamil refugees. Singh said Sri Lanka’s response to the Indian initiative had been positive. Describing his first official visit as ‘very successful” Singh said both sides had exuded the political will to take the relations forward.
Replying to a question on nuclear nonproliferation and whether the matter came up during his talks with Gorbachev, he said India’s position on the issue was clear. India was against the signing of the NPT because of its asymmetry.
Singh said the NPT issue did not figure in his talks with the Soviet leaders.
The prime minister said on the defence side, India had no problems and the matter was not discussed much. “There is no vacuum and India is capable of defending its borders and there is no problem on the defence side”, Mr Singh said.
On the rupee rouble relationship, a thorny issue between the two countries, Singh said both countries have agreed to be in close touch and dovetail their endevaours keeping in mind the new realities. He felt it was not right for India to stick to the past.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 3, 1990
