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Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday said Islamabad will give a well considered, robust and constructive response to India's proposals about dialogue on confidence-building measures announced last week.
India announced 12 peace proposals last week to help normalizing its ties with Pakistan. One of the proposals is the opening of the main highway linking the India- and Pakistan-held Kashmir.
The spokesman told a weekly press briefing that Pakistan is considering these proposals and internal consultations are underway. "A reply would be given to these proposals very soon," he said.
The spokesman said that some of the proposals made by India were in fact included in the offer and proposals made by Pakistani Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali to India on May 6 this year.
Jamali put forward six confidence-building measures to India including resuming land and sports links between the two countries discontinued after a terrorist attack on Indian parliament in December 2001.
"Pakistan is awaiting response from the Indian side on those proposals," he said.
"We are disappointed to note that the Indians have sidelined in their proposals important elements of the composite dialogue on Kashmir, Siachin and peace and security," said the spokesman.
He said Kashmir has remained a core issue for over 50 years and there is no change in Pakistan's position on it.
He termed India's announcement of the proposals as a "tactical ploy" and said that peace talks can not be held at gun point when asked to comment on Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes's remarks last week. Fernandes said that Pakistan should either come to the negotiating table or to the battle-field.
The spokesman said this kind of "war-mongering" should be avoided as it is danger and insane.
He also urged New Delhi to stop shelling across the Line of Control, a ceasefire line between India and Pakistan in Kashmir.
(Xinhua News Agency October 28, 2003)
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