New Delhi, July 30: Seeking to put at rest concerns over the Indo-Pak joint statement, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday insisted that India’s stand has not been diluted and maintained that dialogue cannot be resumed till Pakistan fulfils in letter and spirit its commitment not to allow its territory to be used for terrorism against this country.
Intervening during a debate in the Lok Sabha on issues related to his visits to foreign countries recently, he made it clear that dialogue and engagement is the only viable way to deal with the neighbour but Islamabad needs to “act effectively” before talks can be held.
He said India is ready to discussall issues,including Pakistan’s
“misgivings” and “totally false” allegations on Balochistan as New Delhi has “nothing to hide”. He emphasised that he had not received any dossier on Balochistan from his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani during their meeting in Sharm-el Sheikh on July 16.
“I have said time and again and I repeat it right now — it is impossible for any government in India to work towards full normalisation of relations with Pakistan unless the government of Pakistan fulfils, in letter and spirit, its commitment not to allow its territory to be used in any manner for terrorist activities against India,” he said.
No open on-site access to military bases
Allaying fears of US openly accessing military sites and equipment under the bilateral End-User arrangements, Dr. Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said the pact “does not compromise” India’s sovereignty, but provided “an element of predictability” through options.
“There is nothing in the text that compromises India’s sovereignty…There is no provision for unilateral verification by the US on imported defence equipment. India has a sovereign right…
“Any verification has to follow a request and it will be decided only on mutually-accepted date and venue…This has introduced an element of predictability,” Dr. Singh said while making an intervention during the debate on his recent foreign visits.
He was responding to BJP leader Yashwant Sinha’s concern that there was no clarity on the recent End-User Monitoring arrangements agreed during the visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that provided for US experts to verify imported defence equipment.
“I give an assurance to all members to guarantee sovereignty and integrity of India,” the Prime Minister said.
Describing the arrangements as “a generic formulation,” Dr. Singh said this would apply for future supplies from America.
The government has come under a lot of attack from Opposition members for finalising the End-User Monitoring arrangements, which they said has compromised India’s sovereignty and has given free access to military sites and equipment for US inspections.
Dr. Singh also said that the negotiations for inspections would happen case-by-case.
Asserting that the country should do everything possible to provide modern weapons and equipment to the forces, the Prime Minister said India needed access to latest technology to meet the needs of its security.
He said the country should also diversify its sources to procure defence equipment and technology.
Dr. Singh also said India had been signing individual end-user agreements with the US for equipments and supplies on a case-by-case basis since late 1990s.
–PTI