'Reduction of troops in Kashmir all speculation'

New Delhi, Mar 3: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today the IndianArmy was not an ''army of occupation'', but the reduction of troops inJammu and Kashmir would take place only if terrorist acts ceased.

He termed mere speculation the statement attributed to HurriyatConference chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq that withdrawal oftroops would be the first step towards finding a durable and acceptablesolution to the Kashmir issue.

''These are all speculation,'' Dr Singh told reporters afterreleasing the book, ''The Cultural Heritage of India Vol. VII (PartOne), edited by art historian Kapila Vatsyayan.

''We do not want to keep our forces there.... Our forces are thereto protect the life and liberty of the law-abiding people of thestate,'' Dr Singh said at the function at his official residence.

''If terrorist acts cease, we will reduce our troops,'' he added.

UNI

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