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India rejects Pakistan's call to ease build up

India on Monday rejected outright, Pakistan's call to ease military build-up along the border.

On President Pervez Musharraf's call to scale down the military build-up, Defence Minister George Fernandes said there was no question of that.

"Who is he (Musharraf) to ask us to pull back," Fernandes asked.

He replied in the negative when asked if the Indian troops on the border would be reduced.

"Our troops are on the frontline..they are in the bunkers...and they will remain where they are," Fernandes said.

Replying to a question, Fernandes said there had not been a qualitative change in the situation after the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in Kathmandu. "If anyone had hopes.....the SAARC meet.....the hopes have been belied".

Asked if India and Pakistan were on the verge of a war, Fernandes said he would not say that. "That might not be the right word to use as diplomatic efforts are still on."

He said he did not think the situation on the border had reached a 'flashpoint'. "Indian troops are very disciplined and will not do anything that could lead to a flash-point situation," he said

Fernandes said diplomatic efforts were still on and India would send delegations to various countries to explain to the international community "what is at stake and what further threats the country foresees".

On whether there was a deadline for diplomatic efforts to succeed, he said one could not fix deadline in such matters.

There was a feeling among political leaders, including those from the opposition, that the diplomatic efforts should be continued.

Fernandes said during his visit to the United States, he would raise with the Bush administration the problems faced by India.

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