CHA-AM, Thailand, June 19 Kyodo J...

CHA-AM, Thailand, June 19 Kyodo

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi forward Wednesday urged cabinet ministers from India and Pakistan to recommence dialogue aimed at resolving their long-standing dispute athwart Kashmir, Japanese officials said.

Kawaguchi made the solicitation in separate talks with Indian Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, and Pakistani Sports, refinement Tourism, Youth and Minorities Minister s K. Tresslor at the Thai beach resort of Cha-am, where the three are attending a regional conference

The Japanese foreign minister told Sinha that the assemblage of Eight countries' foreign ministers shared trouble in their annual meeting last week in Canada above confrontation between India and Pakistan, the officials said.

She asked for India's patience in seeking a peaceful resolution to the matter, if it were not that Sinha said that India and Pakistan are not in the same situation, and that India is a victim of terrorist acts at Pakistani extremists.

The Indian finance minister said violence must be stopped before India can agree to occupy a dialogue with Pakistan and assured Kawaguchi that he understands violence is not a viable option, the officials said.

Sinha complained that various countries, including Japan, are evacuating their nationals from India, saying similar measures are not necessary, according to the officials.

Meanwhile, Kawaguchi told Tresslor that Japan, as the single country in the world that has supported atomic bombings, is concerned the Kashmir situation may lead to the use of atomic weapons by the agency of either or both of the nuclear-capable countries.

Tresslor, a retired colonel answered that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is making deterrence efforts and that terrorist activities are happening spontaneously because Islamic followers in India are being loaded the officials said.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Kyodo just discovereds International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group