Indian prime minister sees no possibility of war with Pakistan

The Prime Minister of India has ruled out the possibility of war with Pakistan.

But Atal Bihari Vajpayee has expressed doubts that General Pervez Musharraf will keep his promise to permanently stop incursions by Islamic militants into the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir.

Although one million soldiers are still deployed on the border between the two nuclear-armed countries, Mr Vajpayee said tensions have eased.

He said India was ready to enter talks over control of Kashmir, but that Pakistan must create a congenial atmosphere for such a dialogue.

"Pakistan needs to stop cross-border terrorism permanently to initiate talks," Mr Vajpayee said.

India accuses Pakistan of training and arming Islamic guerrillas and helping them cross into the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir to attack government forces and civilian targets, a charge Islamabad denies.

Tensions eased in South Asia earlier this month after US officials said President Musharraf had promised to permanently stop cross-border infiltration.

He has since said in news interviews that he did not promise to permanently halt the incursions, and wants a dialogue with India on Kashmir's future.

"The United States has told us that the general has assured them it would stop that permanently," Mr Vajpayee said. "There is immense pressure on Pakistan to fulfills its promises."

The Indian Prime Minister expressed doubts about President Musharraf keeping his promise to permanently end cross-border incursions by Islamic militants who have fought for Kashmir's independence or its merger with Pakistan since 1989.