India Not To Compromise On Security: Pm

Prime Minister I K Gujral yesterday declared that India will not compromise on its security requirements while seeking friendly relations with Pakistan and asserted that New Delhis peace loving nature should not be seen as a sign of weakness.

We want to have good neighbourly relations with Pakistan but we can look after ourselves when it comes to security matters, he said in an interview to Doordarshan.

Gujral, who also addressed public meetings at Nangloi in west Delhi and Mewat in Haryana, said though India is a peace-loving nation, if any country casts an evil eye on us, it will be our duty to give appropriate reply.

Referring to his talk with Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif on the hot line on Wednesday night in the wake of the shelling at Kargil by Pakistani troops, Gujral said this is not an indication of our weakness...Rather it is one from a position of strength.

He said India was not worried at the ongoing Pakistani shelling in kargil and added that in his telephonic talk with Sharif, he told him that this was only causing loss of innocent lives on both sides. It is good for both sides to stop it (the shelling), he said.

He said India always stood for peace with its neighbours and that it would strive for peace even with Pakistan with which it had fought a war.

He said the defence forces were alert and ready to face any eventuality along the borders and observed that the army should never be used frequently for maintaining law and order in the country.

The Prime Minister said those who fomented communal trouble leading to deployment of army for dealing with such situations were in fact only weakening our defence forces meant to guard our borders.

Gujral said he was proud of the countrys defence capabilities and lauded Indian scientists for the successful launch of the IRS-1d satellite.

Referring to his recent US tour, he said India would not lobby for a permanent seat in the Security Council as a donation, but try to get the prestigious seat as a matter of right. He said that the world body cannot be realistic by ignoring New Delhis interests.

I am not going to the doors (of countries) begging for a permanent seat, Gujral said.

He said it was for this reason that he had deliberately avoided raising the demand for a permanent seat during his recent summit meeting with the US president.

Referring to the new phase in Indo-US ties after his meeting with President Clinton, Gujral said India was happy with this development but at the same time it would not concede anything that is of vital interest to New Delhi.