Islamabad: Making it clear that it was not "ruffled" by statements from India insisting on Pakistan addressing cross-border terrorism, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on June 3 said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has "demonstrated real leadership" by taking the peace initiative.

"I absolutely believe that Prime Minister Vajpayee has demonstrated real leadership. He has shown much strength in the background of very provocative statements from his ministers… I am quite happy with Vajpayee. His heart is in the right place," Kasuri said in an interview to a private television channel.

He said Pakistan was not "ruffled" by a series of subsequent statements putting emphasis on Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism. "We politicians talk to different audience… It happens all the time.

"We have to learn to live with each other. We cannot choose interlocutors. We have to deal with whosoever is in power in both the countries. Our relationship is far more important than to get bogged down with rhetoric," he said, adding by doing that, both the countries would be strengthening Vajpayee and Pakistan Premier Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali to bring about a meaningful dialogue.

On Pakistan's perception that Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani was a hardliner, Kasuri said the Indians should stop demonising President Pervez Musharraf. Likewise, Pakistan too should stop demonising Advani.

Kasuri said though Agra summit achieved little, he considered it successful. "Both Vajpayee and Musharraf behaved very responsibly in Agra. Both of them were denied a Nobel Peace Prize in the last minute. They have agreed to a draft. I know it and you know it," he said.

He denied the existence of militants' training camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and said Pakistan prevented nine out of 10 militants from crossing over to Jammu and Kashmir.

Replying to persistent questions about the allegations of the presence of 120 militant camps in PoK, he said, "These are allegations. The number you mention is staggering, unless they are referring to refugee camps. There are no training camps. There are no terrorist training camps. These are refugee camps."

Kasuri said Pakistan has sealed the line of control (LoC) and if infiltration was taking place it was despite the efforts of Pakistan government.

Stating that Pakistan was seriously interested in dialogue with India, Kasuri said the two countries should address each other's concerns.

"We are seriously interested in dialogue. We have to address mutual concerns. Pakistan has to address India's concerns and India has to address Pakistan's concerns," he said and mentioned in this context steps taken by Musharraf in banning militant groups last year.

When reminded about his statements in April this year about closure camps, Kasuri said he only referred to camps to collect funds but not terrorist training camps.

He said, "Those reference to camps I made was for collection of funds. Lot of money was collected over the years and President Musharraf himself said money was not properly used."

Asked whether he could categorically say that there were no militant camps, he said, "I am the Foreign Minister for six months. I know that there are no training camps. The camps I had in my mind were the ones President Musharraf ordered to close down."

He said Pakistan was not in a position to stop infiltrations even if it wanted. "We are not in a position even if it is completely wanted because people are in suicide missions," he said.

Asked if it amounted to admission that Pakistan Army failed to prevent infiltration, he said Indian Army deployed six lakh troops, which amounted to placing a soldier every three meters. The Indian Army too could be accused of failing to stop the infiltration, he said.

On why Pakistan failed to return even one wanted terrorist to India even though Islamabad has handed over 500 militants to the United States, Kasuri said Pakistan and US were close allies for over 50 years.

"We were allies since Korean war," he said. "Also there was a great deal of interaction between ISI (Inter Service Intelligence) and CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) over the years, whereas India and Pakistan fought three wars. It is unrealistic to expect co-operation between intelligence agencies," he said and hoped the day would come when they start doing so.

Kasuri denied he was a "puppet" in the military- dominated political set-up. "I have resigned from Parliament due to differences with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. If I disagree with President Musharraf, I would not stay in the Cabinet." He said Jamali and Musharraf have given him a free hand.

Kasuri also denied Pakistan Army exerted pressure on politicians. "Pakistan Army is not a Nazi or Mussolini Army. It operates within a framework. It understands democracy. If you think Pakistan Army orders and others execute, you are sadly mistaken," he said.

Kasuri said he, along with Jamali, would be around to see through the India-Pak peace process.

However, there was uncertainty over Jamali government's future as it has been caught in a severe political crisis over the issue of Musharraf's Presidency and Constitutional amendments. Pakistan Parliament was shut down for over five months on this issue.

Asked whether the Jamali government would last till July and he would continue to be the Foreign Minister, Kasuri said, "It looks like that, yes. I will be the Foreign Minister."

On rumours that Parliament would be dissolved by Musharraf, he said, "We are politicians. It does not matter whether we are there or not. But we will be there. There will be elections in this country", he said.

PTI