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August 9, 2002
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Fernandes pleads ignorance of report on impact of Kargil crisis

Sheela Bhatt in New Delhi

Defence Minister George Fernandes on Friday refused to comment on the report on the political and military ramifications of the Kargil crisis, filed by the Joint Intelligence Centre of the US Pacific Command, pleading ignorance.

"We are not aware of it," Fernandes said.

He spoke briefly to mediapersons after releasing Mission to Pakistan, a voluminous book by retired Indian Police Service officer Maloy Krishna Dhar.

Commenting on America's involvement in Jammu and Kashmir, he said, "America is more worried about South Asian countries possessing nuclear weapons. Nothing more."

When asked how this interest and frequent visits by US officials to India and Pakistan had affected the Kashmir problem and Indo-Pak relations, Fernandes said, "Americans have no role to play in Kashmir. They are coming here because they like India."

He also said that the ministry of defence has accepted the recommendations of the Subrahmanyam Committee, which was formed after the Kargil war, and also that of the group of ministers who went through the committee's report.

He said that the government was in the process of setting up the Strategic Nuclear Command system and the office of the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff.

He sidestepped a question on US Secretary of State Colin Powell's recent statement in New Delhi demanding that India allow international observers during the J&K election and free political prisoners.

On the issue of infiltration, he said, "We have intercepted the latest messages where militants have been given specific instruction to disrupt the J&K elections. But India is capable of holding elections even in adverse circumstances."

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