Congress welcomes Nawaz Sharif's statement

NEW DELHI: Congress today welcomed Pakistan Prime Minister designate Nawaz Sharif's remarks that his country's territory will not be allowed to be used for anti-India activities.

""We welcome the statement of Nawaz Sharif. We hope that he will strive to implement in letter and spirit what he has said", party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told reporters.

He said Sharif's statement was welcome as there have been elements which do not want to see cordial ties between India and Pakistan and foment cross-border terrorism.

Replying to questions, Ahmed said the reports in the U S media that in 1999, the then President Bill Clinton had averted the possibility of Pakistan's nuclear conflict with India during the Kargil war were "nothing new".

Nawaz Sharif, who was the Prime Minister during the Kargil conflict, had himself referred to the developments in 1999 during his recent election campaign, Ahmed said.