New Delhi: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has said his recent initiative has rejected criticism that the coming Assembly elections dictated a "harsh" Pakistan policy and made it clear that the constituency for peace in the political leadership in India is "much larger".

In an unusual move today (Nov 2), the Defence Ministry released additional excerpts of his speech at the top commanders' conference on November 1, which assume significance in the context of the recent criticism by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in Kuala Lumpur that he was close to reaching an agreement with Vajpayee at Agra in 2001 but it was blocked by an unnamed "force" in the ruling establishment.

"By our recent measures, we have also silenced the whispering campaign that the requirements of the forthcoming elections dictate a harsh Pakistan policy."

"The political leaders of this country are well aware that the constituency for peace with Pakistan is much larger than that which favours hostility," the Prime Minister said.

Vajpayee had yesterday (Nov 1) sought to give a new direction to his peace initiative, saying the effort was aimed at "encouraging" those elements in Pakistan "who recognise the folly of permanent hostility towards India."

He had said at the same time, India would continue to deal firmly with cross-border terrorism and to insist that a meaningful dialogue with Pakistan was only possible when New Delhi saw sincerity in the effort to stop cross-border infiltration and to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism.

PTI