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American Morning

America Strikes Back: Tensions Rise Between India, Pakistan Over Kashmir

Aired October 17, 2001 - 11:25   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Live to Islamabad now, the Pakistani capital.

CNN's Christiane Amanpour is tracking not only developments in Pakistan, but also watching the recent visit of Colin Powell in neighboring India.

Christiane, hello to you.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, there are potential tensions here in the region -- in fact, real tensions as Colin Powell came to try to cool them down. They seem to be ratcheting up. This between India and Pakistan, the two nuclear neighbors. There has been shooting across the disputed border of the Kashmir region over the last couple of days. Colin Powell had exhorted both leaders of both countries just to cool things down, but instead, there seems to be an increase in the tension level, to the point that Pakistan today said that it is putting its troops on high alert because it's monitored unusual Indian troop activity that could be threatening. It says that it wants to monitor it and make sure that India can't create any, quote, "misadventure or mischief."

India quickly denied that it is moving any troops anywhere near and denied and rejected Pakistan's claim.

Nonetheless, at this time, the rhetoric is very high and the tensions are potentially very dangerous -- at a time when the air campaign on Afghanistan continues. We have been hearing from our sources today that it has been yet another day of very heavy bombardment. We have heard from Jalalabad that in the last several hours they have been bombarding there. Apparently, one target that we have been told about is the television tower.

In Jalalabad, some potentially troubling news, because they're telling us, our sources, that for the first time, they're noting, quote, "unusually high military activity around populated areas." Our sources there are saying that at least several populated areas -- houses they think -- have been hit. They went to see one. They say that they saw civilian casualties there. Also, the Taliban are claiming that a bus was hit with passengers on it, and they took our people there to take pictures of it. Our people, it has to be said, are not allowed to take pictures of any military targets, and we are awaiting more confirmation and more detail on these reports of potential heavy casualties in Kandahar today -- Bill.

HEMMER: Quickly, Christiane, if I could point you in the direction of the diplomatic front: What came out of from Colin Powell's visit to New Delhi?

AMANPOUR: He basically reaffirmed the United States and India stand shoulder to shoulder in the fight against terrorism. They reaffirmed very strong bilateral links. They are very strong allies. You remember India quickly promised some very generous support to the United States after the September 11 attack. Also, Colin Powell signed agreements of security and counterterrorism with the Indian interior minister.

And the issue of Kashmir, though, is less clear. We don't know quite how effective he was in trying to convince India and Pakistan to stand down on this issue.

HEMMER: OK, a lot to track. Christiane Amanpour, in Islamabad.

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