Musharraf's statement on CBMs surprising: Advani Monday, January 17 2005 23:01 Hrs (IST) - World Time -
Kolkata:
Describing as surprising and amazing Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's imposing conditions on Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) with India, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) President L K Advani today urged the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government not to succumb to 'this kind of pressure tactics'.
"Confidence Building Measures are surely desirable and we too had been pursuing it during NDA (National Democratic Alliance) rule.... but this kind of hard pressure of Pakistan is intended to impose on us Pakistan's concept of Jammu and Kashmir", Advani told reporters at the N S C Bose international airport on way back to Delhi from Dumka in Jharkhand.
Commenting to President Musharraf ruling out initiating of CBMs with India until the two countries resolve differences over introducing a bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad, Advani said, "there is no point in pursuing these CBMs".
"The statement of Musharraf that India should agree to run bus services for the Kashmiris without visas and passports between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad is surprising and amazing," he said.