"Full regards accorded to constitutional and security requirements"

New Delhi, Mar 14 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today assured the Opposition that the country had accorded ''full regards'' to the national concern in its discussions with Pakistan even as Leader of the Opposition L K Advani demanded the rejection of Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf's four-point formula on Jammu and Kashmir.

The Prime Minister, in a letter to Mr Advani asserted that India was prepared to explore ''creative and cooperative'' solutions that can establish a lasting peace and amity between the two countries if Pakistan were to live up to its Jaunary 2004 commitments on controlling terrorism. ''Full regard is being given to our administrative and constitutional requirements and to overriding imperatives of national security,'' Dr Singh replied to Mr Advani in his letter released to the media by the BJP.

Dr Singh asserted India did not believe in conducting diplomacy in public and had conveyed its position constitutional requirements through ''appropriate channels''. He said he had stated in public on numerous occasions that the composite dialogue cannot can't make meaningful progress unless Pakistan ensured not to allow its territory to be used for terrorist purposes.

Yesterday as India and Pakistan started Foreign Secretary level talks in Islamabad, Mr Advani had written to the Prime Minister that Gen Musharraf through his four-point formula had introduced ''new and unacceptable dimensions'' to an already complex situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The concepts of Joint Suprevisory Mechanism, soft borders, demilitarisation and self governments were all aimed at diluting India's sovereignty over the strife-torn state.

Why have we not rejected outright? Observations attributed to you about making borders irrelevant have further contributed to the prevailing confusion,'' Mr Advani wrote to Prime Minister.

More MCN KAS YA BD1730