Monday, June 5 2006 18:21 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Union Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed today (June 5, 2006) virtually rejected the demand made by BJP that the Government make efforts to move a resolution at the United Nations to get Pakistan declared a terrorist state.

"That's their (BJP's) opinion. Government has taken its own stand on all these issues. It's a suggestion made by (BJP President) Rajnath Singh. That's all," Ahamed told reporters in response to questions on the sidelines of a function here.

At a BJP youth wing rally here last Saturday, Singh made the demand that the UPA Government should try to get UN resolution declaring Pakistan as terrorist state passed.

He had also demanded that New Delhi should also move the UN Security Council and pursue with member-states to put Pakistan's ISI into 'international watch.'

Ahamed differed with Singh, who had said cross-border terrorism was on the rise.

Ahamed said "It (cross-border terrorism) has not stopped. But it has reduced. I have already given the figures in Parliament."

On Singh's demand that no talks should be held with Pakistan till Islamabad gives commitment to end cross-border terrorism, he said the neighbouring country has always maintained that cross-border terrorism is taking place not with their information and knowledge.

Ahamed said New Delhi had been insisting all the time with Pakistan to keep in mind and implement the assurance given by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in January 2004 that Islamabad would not allow territory under its control for cross-border terrorism.

"We have always been reminding this factor to Pakistan, and India is consistently holding this position," he said.

Asked if he saw forward movement in Indo-Pak relations, the Minister saidvery much", adding, some positive decisions had been taken during the recent Home Secretary-level talks.