Nuclear Rivals Exchange Insults

June 5, 2002
By Marcus Warren in Almaty

The war of words between India and Pakistan took a dramatic and highly personal turn yesterday as the first encounter in months between their leaders degenerated into an angry slanging match.

An Asian summit in the city of Almaty in Kazakhstan provided an ideal opportunity for President Pervaiz Musharraf of Pakistan and Atal Behair Vajpayee, India's prime minister, to talk peace. They used it instead to trade insults.

Hopes that President Putin of Russia might mediate and avert the threat of nuclear conflict faded as it became clear that Gen Musharraf and Mr Vajpayee were more interested in hurling abuse at one another.

"We cannot condone the rapacious policies of certain states that forcibly occupy territory and deny freedom to peoples for decades," Gen Musharraf said, voicing Pakistan's grievances over Kashmir.

Mr Vajpayee retaliated, implying that Gen Musharraf was not to be trusted, and switching from Hindi to English to do so with maximum effect.

"We have seen that cross-border infiltration has increased, violence in Jammu and Kashmir has continued unabated and terrorist camps operate unhindered across our borders," he said.

Gen Musharraf left Almaty admitting that, save for the verbal skirmishes in the conference hall, he and Mr Vajpayee had not exchanged a word. And, unlike at their last meeting in January, they had not even shaken hands.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=
/news/2002/06/05/wkash05.xml&sSheet=/portal/2002/06/05/ixport.html