New Delhi, June 11 :
On the eve of talks between the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers, Delhi today released transcripts of what it claims to be conversation between the two seniormost Pakistani generals. The purported dialogue between the two discloses how the army set the agenda for the civilian administration in Islamabad.
The phone conversations between Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan?s army chief, and Lt Gen. Mohd Aziz, chief of general staff, on May 26 and May 29, also reveal their plan to unilaterally alter the Line of Control and how the Kargil operation was meticulously designed to internationalise the Kashmir issue. India claims the dialogue has been voice-authenticated.
By playing the taped conversation, India appeared to have gained the leverage to dominate tomorrow?s talks between Jaswant Singh and Sartaj Aziz.
Singh read out from the post-mortem reports of the six Indian soldiers whose mutilated bodies were handed over by Pakistan on Wednesday, detailing how they were tortured before being killed in cold blood. ??There can be only two issues for discussion in tomorrow?s agenda: the barbarity committed by Pakistan on our soldiers and restoring status quo ante on the LoC,?? an emotionally charged Singh said.
He pointed out that Aziz was arriving here in the context of the Kargil intrusion. ??The involvement and complicity of Pakistan in this misadventure is well established,?? he said. ??But even at this stage, it is not too late for Pakistan to realise its folly and undo it,?? he added.
The transcripts disclosed by the government to buttress its claim suggest that while the army was calling the shots, it did keep Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, referred to as Mian Saheb, informed. In one transcript from May 26, Gen. Musharraf told Lt Gen. Aziz that Sharif was concerned the fighting would escalate into a full-scale war.
??On this logic, we gave the suggestion that there was no such fear as the scruff of their (militants) neck is in our hands, whenever you want, we could regulate it,?? Lt Gen. Aziz says.
The dialogue also indicates that the intrusion was aimed at distorting the LoC. ??The LoC has many areas where the interpretation of either side is not what the other side believes. So comprehensive deliberation is required,?? Lt Gen. Aziz says.
In another conversation on May 29, Lt Gen. Aziz tells his boss that the foreign minister would be advised against accepting any truce in Kashmir during his talks in Delhi. ??Aziz Saheb has discussed with me and my recommendation is that dialogue option is always open. But in their first meeting, they must give no understanding or no commitment on ground situation,?? he says. ?And he should not even accept ceasefire.?
Singh said the Pakistani minister would have to make it clear during tomorrow?s negotiations ?what brief he is carrying and whose brief he is working under?.
Going by today?s expose and Delhi?s underlining of the agenda, it will be a surprise if tomorrow?s discussions yield any result. Pakistan has been insisting on a discussion on the LoC and the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir. But Singh made it clear that the only meeting point was for ??Pakistan to recognise the folly of its misadventure in Kargil?? and take steps to undo it.
The minister scoffed at Islamabad?s stand that it was not involved in the flare-up. ??I?m not impressed by denials,?? he said.
Singh indicated that Delhi was in no mood to dilute its tough posture, saying it is Islamabad which has to bear the responsibility for getting involved in Kargil. Asked whether the hardline could lead to war, Singh said: ??Then it?s Pakistan?s problem.?? He, however, added that Delhi would not call off the talks and allow Islamabad to score diplomatic points.
Besides giving the government a stick to beat Pakistan with, the transcripts could salvage the reputation of intelligence agencies, under fire for the Kargil goof-up.
Aziz, accompanied by Tariq Altaf, additional secretary in the Pakistani foreign ministry, will arrive here tomorrow morning. The foreign ministers? meeting is slated to take place around mid-day. Aziz will return in the evening. Underlining the grim atmosphere, no joint press conference will be held.
Aziz, who was in Beijing today, was told by the Chinese leadership to resolve the Kashmir issue through ??peaceful means??.
Referring to his proposed trip to Beijing next week, Singh refused to open a new front with China, saying his visit was on the invitation of the government.





