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London: America would sanction exports of sensitive military hardware if India responded positively by supplying manpower for nation building in Iraq under a "deal" struck between the two countries, a leading British daily reported on June 18.

"Reports from the US suggest a deal between India and the US that would see America sanction exports of sensitive military hardware, if India responded positively by supplying manpower for nation-building in Iraq," 'The Guardian' stated.

The daily, which interviewed L K Advani in London on June 17 quoted the Deputy Prime Minister saying "it (deployment of troops) was still an 'open issue'".

Advani, who left for home this morning (June 18) at the end of his 3-day official visit here, told reporters on June 17 that India would take a decision on deploying troops after getting clarifications from the American team currently in India.

In the interview published this morning, the daily said Indian government has offered open-ended talks with Pakistan on Jammu and Kashmir if Pakistan ended its "proxy terrorist war" against India.

"If the killing of innocents stops ... we will find a solution for everything once we start talking."

On the Kashmir issue, he talked about compromises by both India and Pakistan.

"After all if you disagree so sharply on an issue as India and Pakistan disagree on the question of Jammu and Kashmir and if a settlement has to come about then it can only be in the form of some compromise in which both sides have to give and take in relation to their present positions," he told the daily.

PTI