Pakistan for Saarc observers on both sides of LoC

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri said Islamabad was ready to discuss "all issues of concern to India and Pakistan" and wanted New Delhi to agree to go to the negotiating table.

He also called for the presence of a Saarc observer group on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir to check out allegations of cross border terrorism, human rights violations and state terrorism made by India and Pakistan against each other.

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Speaking to the Foreign Correspondents' Association of Sri Lanka here on Monday, the visiting minister denied that he had suggested the presence of an international peace keeping force in Kashmir. He said that Pakistan would accept a Saarc observer group on either side of the LoC.

Kasuri, in Sri Lanka to invite President Chandrika Kumaratunga to a January summit of South Asian leaders, played down Indian Foreign Minister Yaswant Sinha's weekend call to Pakistan to join New Delhi in its battle against "terror."

"If Pakistan can cooperate with the United States with regard to fighting terrorism in Afghanistan, why can't Pakistan cooperate with India in fighting terrorism in India and specially in Jammu and Kashmir," Sinha said in an interview with AFP in New Delhi.

"I can't understand what is holding (us) up. We are ready to cooperate with Pakistan in this fight, even with (President Pervez) Musharraf," Sinha said.

Kasuri told the Foreign Correspondents' Association of Sri Lanka that it was not the first time that India was issuing such calls without doing anything to initiate a dialogue.

"If the foreign minister of India is making a serious suggestion, let's start talking," Kasuri said. "If he (Sinha) is just making a point, that is not desirable. Point scoring will not get India and Pakistan anywhere."

He said Indo-Pakistan relations had affected the functioning of the seven-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) whose January summit would be a year overdue because of bilateral bickering.

"We are quite prepared to talk and cooperate with India in all matters. Let's start talking," he said, adding that at the moment "we don't even attend Saarc conferences."

"We have to talk on all issues concerning India and Pakistan."

He repeated a suggestion made last week in Kathmandu that Saarc observers could be posted in Kashmir to verify Indian claims that Pakistan was funneling over Islamic rebels.

"We can't have India in the position of accuser, prosecutor and judge. Let us invite outsiders. They can be Saarc observers," Kasuri said, adding that Pakistan was ready for international "mediation" or "facilitation" over Kashmir.