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Indo-Pak Peace Talk > PTI
No redrawing of border: PM
December 21, 2004 18:04 IST
India has made it clear to Pakistan that while it was willing to look at "possible options" for a peaceful, negotiated settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir issue, it would not agree to any redrawing of boundaries or another partition of the country. Making a suo motu statement in Parliament on foreign policy related issues, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said during his meeting with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in New York in September, they had agreed that "possible options for a peaceful, negotiated settlement of the J and K issue should be explored in a sincere spirit and a purposeful manner.
Manmohan meets Musharraf
"I made it clear to President Musharraf that while we are willing to look at various options, we would not not agree to any redrawing of boundaries, or another partition of the country," Singh said.
The Prime Minister, who met his Pakistani counterpart Shaukat Aziz in New Delhi on November 23, said India intended to pursue the path of cooperation and dialogue with Pakistan "in an atmosphere free of mistrust and terror, building upon the support that we have received from the people of the two countries and without compromising upon our basic national interests".
India will never redraw border: PM
Referring to his visit to New York for the UN General Assembly session, the Prime Minister said he had emphasised India's commitment to multi-lateralism and to its embodiment -- the UN.
PM takes swipe at US
Making identical statements in both Houses, Singh said it was imperative to reform the UN to enable the world body to refashion itself to become relevant to "our" times. Singh said he had outlined the reasons why India should be a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
On the meeting of leaders of India and three other aspirants -- Brazil, Germany and Japan, he said the four countries highlighted the need to reform the Security Council to make it more representative and effective.
Panel for major UN reforms
"This was a significant statement of our intent to participate in the UN reforms process on the basis of a mutual understanding to support each other for permanent membership of the Security Council."