Fernandes asks US to cut off aid to Pak

‘‘Pakistan survives on money that comes from the World Bank and other financial agencies,’’ he said. ‘‘And if they say, stop this…we believe that General Musharraf will have to take some decision.’’

Ruling out any talks with Pakistan at Almaty where Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee arrived today, Fernandes said it should hand over at least the 14 Indians on the list of 20 given to it last year.

He downplayed the nuclear threat. ‘‘I don’t think anyone should be worried about the nuclear thing. I don’t know who has started this,’’ he said. ‘‘You know from the statements made by General Musharraf that he does not believe in it. So we should leave it at that,’’ he said.

Speaking at the conference earlier, Fernandes assured the world that India would not act impulsively in its dispute with Pakistan but would keep pressing its neighbour to stop supporting terrorism.

‘‘India will not be impulsive. Neither will we waiver in our determination for the simple reason that what we have been fighting and will continue to fight is the war against terrorism,’’ he said in a speech to an Asian security conference in Singapore.

‘‘All we expect of the Musharraf regime is that it should desist from supporting terrorism,’’ he said. ‘‘We are not threatening the territorial integrity of Pakistan, nor do we have any animosity against the people of Pakistan.’’

He said India recognised that Pakistan was supporting the US-led coalition against terrorism but nonetheless believed terrorists had infiltrated Pakistan. He said militant groups including al Qaeda and Taliban fighters from Afghanistan had escaped into Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province and its part of Kashmir. ‘‘We are deeply concerned that these cadres would be encouraged to indulge in terrorist violence against India.’’

Fernandes asked delegates at the security conference to consider why Pakistan had recently tested some missiles. ‘‘Why, after all, did they test their missiles at this particular point of time in even the face of global condemnation?’’ Arguing that it amounted to threatening use of nuclear weapons, he asked: ‘‘Is this not an attempt to blackmail India and the rest of the global community?’’

The minister said India’s nuclear programme was purely defensive. ‘‘India will not get drawn into a nuclear arms race.’’ (Reuters)