HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN in the House of Representatives
Extension of Remarks - JULY 21, 1999

 Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express support for the recent developments regarding the conflict in Jammu & Kashmir in India . Last November a large body of Pakistani troops from its Northern Light Infantry Regiment and Pakistani-backed terrorists crossed the Line of Control into Jammu and Kashmir , forcefully occupying key Indian military posts abandoned for the winter season. When the Indian Armed forces earlier this year attempted to return to their military posts, they were met with fierce Pakistani resistance and opposition.

Faced with this opposition, India then took restrained military action to regain its territory occupied by the terrorists and Pakistani military forces. By adopting a proper, proportionate response to the incursion, India took steps to ensure that the situation did not spin out of control and escalate further.

Most of the international community agree that Pakistan crossed into Jammu and Kashmir in an attempt to alter the Line of Control to Pakistan's advantage and to internationalize the issue.

Pakistan soon discovered that the international community did not support those ambitions. The United States and its allies, including the G-8 nations, condemned the incursion across the Line of Control into India , and called for an immediate end to the hostilities, restoration of the Line of Control, and future respect for the Line of Control.

A resolution sponsored by a bipartisan majority of the House International Relations Committee and myself, two weeks ago, in part expressed the sense of the Congress that it should be the policy of the United States to (1) support the immediate withdrawal of intruding forces supported by Pakistan from the Indian side of the Line of Control, (2) urge the reestablishment and future respect for the line of Control, and (3) to encourage all sides to end the fighting and exercise restraint. The Resolution further expressed the sense of the Congress that it should be the policy of the United States to encourage both India and Pakistan to adhere to the principles of the Lahore Declaration.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the President personally communicated this to Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif and that Pakistan is now in the process of withdrawing its forces from the Indian side of the Line of Control. This should be a message to Pakistan that the international community will not tolerate its military or financial support to any aggression.

This is an issue that India and Pakistan must resolve bilaterally. I am pleased to see that the United States, consistent with its past policy, has said it would not mediate this issue. I urge the U.S. to maintain this position.

Mr. Speaker, I urge both Nations to work toward rebuilding the trust that has been lost as a result of the fighting at the LOC, and to work toward full implementation of the Lahore Declaration. Without this trust, there can be no `true' agreement to go forward with the Lahore process.

While we welcome the decision of the Sharif Government to end the hostilities across the Line of Control into India by ordering the withdrawal of the invading forces, we will keep a keen eye on the situation in the weeks ahead to maker caution that all of the conditions will be met. Pakistan must dismantle the structures for training militants for disrupting peace in Jammu and Kashmir , and to maintain the sanctity of the Line of Control, not only in Kargil, but throughout Jammu and Kashmir , India . In addition, Pakistan must stop its support for cross-border terrorism against India .