Powell Pleased By Efforts To Open Dialogue

(Speaks to press with Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh) (2120)

Secretary of State Colin Powell said India and Pakistan were
continuing their efforts to open a dialogue in order to solve their
current crisis through diplomatic means.

Powell arrived in India January 17 following meetings the day before
with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Foreign Minster Abdul
Sattar. He spoke to the press in New Delhi with Indian Foreign
Minister Jaswant Singh.

"I am pleased that we continued to be in constant dialogue with one
another to find a peaceful solution through political and diplomatic
means to the challenge that we are now facing in the region," said
Powell.

When asked about the possibility of the United States mediating
between India and Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir, Powell restated
the U.S. position that resolution of the dispute requires a direct
dialogue between the two countries.

"To the extent that we can help bring that dialogue about and to the
extent that both sides ask us to assist them as they go through the
dialogue, the United States is always ready to assist its two friends.
But it must be a dialogue between the two parties," said Powell.

Powell praised President Musharraf's recent actions against Islamic
extremists in Pakistan, but recognized India's right to evaluate those
actions for itself.

"[I]t is up to India to make a judgment as a sovereign democratic
nation as to whether these actions constitute sufficient basis for
them to change the policies that they are pursuing at the moment,"
said Powell.

Foreign Minister Singh welcomed the Pakistani leader's January 12
speech condemning terrorism, and hoped for further action by
Musharraf's administration against Islamic extremists.

"[T]hat will, in terms of management of external affairs, contribute
greatly to the benefit of the international community in its fight
against terrorism. And we would cooperate and welcome fully with
General Pervez Musharraf in that regard. And as soon as we see
demonstration of it on the ground, we will respond adequately and
fully. Be assured of that," said Singh.

Following Secretary Powell's visit to New Delhi, he will travel to
Nepal before attending the January 21 conference on Afghan
reconstruction in Tokyo.

Following is a transcript of Powell's and Singh's press conference:

(begin transcript)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman (New Delhi, India)

For Immediate Release January 17, 2002

JOINT PRESS AVAILABILITY WITH SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN L. POWELL AND
INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTER JASWANT SINGH

Hyderabad House New Delhi, India

9:05 p.m. New Delhi Time

FOREIGN MINISTER SINGH: Ladies and gentlemen of the press, good
evening. It is my distinct pleasure, and also honor, to -- what? You
didn't hear me? This is my great pleasure and honor to be welcoming
Secretary of State Colin Powell here again. We were -- on account of
the fact that he has traveled both to Kabul and also to Islamabad, he
was delayed in reaching here, and rather than keeping all of you good
folk waiting, we thought it best that we meet you now briefly. We'll
take two to three questions each, and then after we meet you again
tomorrow (inaudible) after the Secretary of State has had his meetings
with the Prime Minister.

I am really very happy to be able to have exchanged views on regional
-- on Afghanistan situation, on the situation in Pakistan, on the
situation in respect of India and Pakistan. Of course also in regard
to development and further progress that is required in regard to
Afghanistan.

I would request the Secretary of State to say whatever he wishes to,
and then I would require Nirupama to manage event. Thank you very
much.

SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you very much, Jaswant, for welcoming me back
to India. It is a pleasure to be here again. And we once again had a
good exchange of views and I look forward to meeting with other
officials tomorrow, as well as with the Prime Minister.

As you all know and as the Minister just mentioned, I am on my way to
Tokyo to participate in a conference on reconstruction of Afghanistan,
and I know that India will be playing an important role in this effort
and in this conference, and I welcome the contribution that India has
made and will continue to make as we get about the task of giving the
Afghan people hope for a brighter future.

We of course talked about the situation in the region. I briefed him
on my conversations in Islamabad yesterday with President Musharraf
and with Foreign Minister Sattar. I am pleased that we continued to be
in constant dialogue with one another to find a peaceful solution
through political and diplomatic means to the challenge that we are
now facing in the region.

I always value being with the Foreign Minister and to benefit from his
wisdom and his long experience, of course, in his position. And so,
Mr. Minister, I again thank you for your hospitality and we welcome
the questions from the press.

QUESTION: Jonathan Wright from Reuters. A question for Foreign
Minister Singh. Mr. Powell has mentioned on his way here that he would
welcome political and diplomatic steps such as reopening of the border
and reopening of air space and a reversal of the diplomatic sanctions
that were taken. Is India prepared to take these steps?

FOREIGN MINISTER SINGH: Diplomatic sanctions? I really don't know what
you mean by "diplomatic sanctions." The border has not closed. It's an
international border. Travel is still possible (inaudible) but up to
Bagram and up to Atali. People with valid travel documents continue to
move between our two countries.

Am I ready to take further steps in regard to -- of course, India has
always been ready and shall continue to take further steps, but I have
to see action on the ground. We have welcomed what General Musharraf
said on his speech on the 12th of January. It was largely addressed to
reforming society and polity within Pakistan. And I said then, and I
repeat because we mean it, we wish the people of Pakistan well.

And I also wish that all the statements and the announcements that
General Pervez Musharraf has made really do translate themselves into
action, because that will, in terms of management of external affairs,
contribute greatly to the benefit of the international community in
its fight against terrorism. And we would cooperate and welcome fully
with General Pervez Musharraf in that regard. And as soon as we see
demonstration of it on the ground, we will respond adequately and
fully. Be assured of that.

QUESTION: Sir, this is a question for the Secretary of State. Sir, you
had said on your way from Islamabad that you would be bringing some
ideas here to India to work, both the countries, towards peace, both
India and Pakistan towards peace. I would like to get your views on
what those ideas were, and also get your reaction to what our Foreign
Minister just said, that India would like to frame it in the following
way, that first there is action on the ground and then dialogue with
Pakistan, whether America agrees with that point of view.

SECRETARY POWELL: On the second point, it's a conversation and a point
he has made to me many times. We have had this conversation many times
that words are one thing and expressed changes of policy are one
thing, but they're looking for action on the ground. It's perfectly
understandable.

We have seen some action with respect to the arrest of extremists. We
have seen action with respect to the banning of organizations. We have
seen a variety of other actions take place with respect to closing
down of the offices of these organizations. And it is up to India to
make a judgment as a sovereign democratic nation as to whether these
actions constitute sufficient basis for them to change the policies
that they are pursuing at the moment.

But as the Minister just said, President Musharraf did make an
important statement to the people of Pakistan and to the international
community, and we will be monitoring his actions in the days and weeks
ahead. This is also a conversation I had with him yesterday.

And I do have some ideas, to the first part of your question. I have
shared some of them with the Minister this evening. And I'm sure I'll
have the opportunity to share these ideas with the Prime Minister and
others tomorrow, but I think I'd better share them with them before
with you.

QUESTION: The question is addressed to Secretary of State, Excellency.
There's a reported statement coming out from a Pakistani minister in
Dubai where he says that India if is asking for extradition of 20
terrorists, we can ask for (inaudible). I mean, from India as well.
What is your view on that? Is it not that Pakistan is not ready to
hand over those terrorists, sir?

SECRETARY POWELL: Pakistan is in receipt of this list of 20
individuals that India has presented. India, I am informed this
evening, will be presenting more information with respect to these
individuals. And what the Pakistani authorities have said to me is
that they are hoping to get more information and evidence. And as was
said in President Musharraf's speech on last Saturday, appropriate
action will be taken with respect to those individuals on the list who
are non-Pakistanis. And if they are Pakistanis and have committed
crimes, then if they can come into custody or be brought into custody,
action will be taken against them in accordance with Pakistani law.

And so the more evidence we can provide, the better. And I am pleased
that the Indian Government has indicated they do have more information
that would be helpful in resolving this question of the list of 20.

QUESTION: What about the handing over of terrorists, sir?

SECRETARY POWELL: That is a judgment for the Pakistani Government to
make when they are in custody or brought into custody. And as
President Musharraf said in his speech, he did not rule this out. And
in my conversations with him, he did not rule this out also. He
considers that appropriate action might involve returning them from
whence they came.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) with the Indian Express. This question is for
Secretary Powell. What, in your opinion, in your country's opinion, do
you think that the conversion of the line of control into the
international boundary might help the resolution of the Kashmir
dispute?

SECRETARY POWELL: I'm not sure I understood the question totally. I
think at this point what I would say to that question is that we are
anxious to see a dialogue begin between India and Pakistan on all of
these issues, to include Kashmir. And we hope that the current
situation we find ourselves in can be resolved as quickly as possible
and that part of the resolution of the situation will include the
beginning of a dialogue where all questions, such as the one you
raised, can be dealt with between the two sides.

The United States will be always standing by ready to help our two
friends, but it would be unwise of me -- and, frankly, irresponsible
of me -- to make a judgment of a particular position we might take in
the future on any of these issues.

QUESTION: Secretary of State, this question is for you. In his speech
in which he addressed the nation, President Musharraf stuck to his
stated stance on Kashmir, stating that Kashmir runs in blood of
Pakistanis. And time and again, Mr. Musharraf has tried to involve the
international community, including the United States, to mediate
between India and Pakistan.

What is your view regarding this?

SECRETARY POWELL: I think it is a view that I have expressed
consistently ever since the speech was given is that the question of
Kashmir has to be resolved by direct dialogue between the two parties.
To the extent that we can help bring that dialogue about and to the
extent that both sides ask us to assist them as they go through the
dialogue, the United States is always ready to assist its two friends.
But it must be a dialogue between the two parties.

FOREIGN MINISTER SINGH: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the press.
We are going to meet again tomorrow. The time at which we will meet
you will be informed by Nirupama. It will not be before -- roughly
around 12:30 or so. It will be around 12:30 or so. The venue and the
exact timing you will be informed. Thank you very much. Good night.

SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you.

(end transcript)

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