London: Describing Kashmir as the core issue, Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has said that both countries would have to make "sacrifices" to resolve the issue but "India has to make concessions" as it occupies the larger territory of Kashmir.

"The core issue is Kashmir. Well, India occupies the larger territory of Kashmir, and it has to make concessions. We have to ask for concessions for the Kashmiris from India," the Pakistani Prime Minister said while participating in a BBC Hindi and Urdu joint special programme broadcast on August 3 night.

Without spelling out what sort of concessions he was expecting, Jamali said "We are watching for how many concessions is India ready." Asked specifically how the two countries would reach an understanding, the Pakistan Prime Minister said; "We cannot leave things for future. We have to decide. For this both sides would have to make sacrifices. Without this issues cannot be resolved."

When a questioner reminded him about his statement that India would have to make concessions, Jamali said: "Both sides would have to make sacrifices. And in this, if the big country makes a concession of say one hundred rupees, the smaller one can also make a concession of a rupee and a half. But both sides would have to make sacrifices." Asked specifically which were the concrete steps that would improve relations between the two countries, the Pakistani leader said the first one has already been taken, that the process of dialogue has begun after two years. "I think that this is a big breakthrough.

Welcoming Indian government's decision to participate in the South Asian Association for Regional Co- operation (SAARC) summit in Islamabad in January 2004, Jamali said: "Our effort would be that keeping this in front of us, adopt proactive stances for sports, economy, travel, public to public contact, and for visa for the people in all these fields, so that the people can see and feel all these steps being taken. I feel that with these steps let us move towards SAARC.

"There is a possibility that we may meet even before SAARC. There are many international forums, I feel that at any of these forums where we come across each other, then we would definitely meet."

Answering a specific question when he would meet Vajpayee, Jamali quipped: "When Vajpayee wants, I am ready to meet him." Asked why he did not take the initiative and meet him, the Pakistan Prime Minister said:

"Vajpayee is the elderly person, and elders should meet the youngsters. It is the elders who order and it is for the youngsters to obey. Therefore when he wants, I will meet him." He said one has to see Kashmir as one. "You cannot divide Kashmir into two and then see the matter. You would have to see who occupies what part of Kashmir, in whose favour is which part, which is the bigger and the powerful country. It is the bigger country that has to sacrifice." Jamali spoke effusively about Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's leadership, saying he would be at ease to settle the issue with him.

"I can say this with surety that in Vajpayee's leadership, according to my estimate, we have great convenience, according to my style. He is a mature and elderly personality, who has a cool mind. I personally feel that I would be at ease to settle this issue with him.

PTI