New Delhi: As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gets ready to take off for China, the issue of cross-border incursions by the Chinese army personnel has once again taken centre stage.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee responded to a question about Chinese incursions by saying that they do take place "sometimes" across the Line of Actual Control (LAC) but there was no need to press any "panic button".
"There is nothing to be worried of at this point of time and the mechanisms which we have are doing well," Mukherjee told Karan Thapar on Devil's Advocate programme of CNN-IBN.
"Sometimes incursions take place. We immediately take it up. Mechanisms have been established through which we address these type of problems," he said.
Asked whether the frequency or the number of incursions have increased, he said, "It is not unusual (but) it has not suddenly increased."
The Prime Minister, who leaves for Beijing on Saturday night on a three-day visit, will hold wide-ranging talks with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao and will also call on President Hu Jintao.
Questioned about concerns expressed by senior Indian army generals on the development of infrastructure on the Chinese side of the Sino-India border in Arunachal Pradesh, Mukherjee said it was a "known fact" that their infrastructure in terms of road, electricity and availability of other facilities "is much superior to that on our side."
Mukherjee, a former defence minister, made it clear that there was no question of India letting down its vigilance.
"But at the same time, the situation that is prevailing right now on the border and along the LAC, there is no need of pressing any panic button. Peace and tranquillity are being retained there."
On the developments in Pakistan, Mukherjee said he had "tremendous faith" in the resilience of the Pakistani people to manage their crisis.
"I do hope they will overcome this crisis. We shall have to keep in mind that in different places there have been different type of problems in the history of Pakistan but some how or the other the people of Pakistan and the system there, they have managed the situation," he said.
Asked if he believed President Pervez Musharraf faced the danger of being removed by the army, he said there was an element of unpredictability.
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"Only future can show what course of action will be taken by the establishment or the people of Pakistan. It is not predictable...an element of unpredictability is there but I can't say the situation will turn around in a positive manner," he said.
He sidestepped a query on whether he saw Musharraf as part of the solution or the problem. "We ought to deal with whoever is in office in Pakistan. Therefore we do not make any value judgment of any individual," he said.
Asked if Pakistan was in danger of breaking up, he said "I am not coming to any such conclusion."
On apprehensions that instability in Pakistan could affect India, he said instability in the neighbourhood has its impact on other neighbouring countries.
"So if there is instability in Pakistan, naturally it will have an adverse impact on us. But I am not coming to any definitive conclusion," he said adding "let us watch the situation and hope that Pakistan will be able to address the problems and stability will be brought back."
Asked whether instability in Pakistan could lead to increase in infiltration and jehadi activity in India, Mukherjee said this could be judged only after the snow melts and the passes are cleared.
"But let us not link with the turmoil in the country because the terrorist activity from the other side of the border has never completely stopped," he said.
On reports that he was to go to Pakistan to attend Benazir Bhutto's funeral, the minister explained he didn't do so following advice from Islamabad.
"We didn't want to embarrass the (Pakistani) authorities and we listened to their advice," he said.
The minister also responded to questions on developments in Sri Lanka and Colombo's decision to abrogate the ceasefire agreement with the LTTE from January 15.
"We have to see what impact it has. Of late the clashes between Sri Lankan forces and LTTE terrorists have increased. So far as terrorism is concerned, our position is that of zero tolerance. So any country that takes action against terrorists are free to do so within their legal system," he said.
However, he said India wanted the Lankan government to pursue efforts to fulfil the legitimate aspirations of ethnic Tamil minorities within that country's political framework.
Mukherjee said no decision has been taken on the visit of the Prime Minister to Colombo to participate in Sri Lanka's 60th Independence Day celebrations in February but made it clear that he will participate in the SAARC summit scheduled to be held there later this year.
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