INDIAN ARMY OFFICER DENIES REPORTS OF TALIBAN PRESENCE IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR. (TAPE NO: FM 5483)

NATURAL WITH ENGLISH AND HINDI SPEECH

DURATION: 2.16

SOURCE: ANI

TV AND WEB RESTRICTIONS: NONE

Indian army officer denies reports of Taliban presence in Jammu and Kashmir.

Senior Indian army officer denies reports of Taliban presence in northern Jammu and Kashmir.

SHOWS:

JAMMU, JAMMU AND KASHMIR, INDIA (DECEMBER 16, 2009) (ANI-ACCESS ALL)

1. FLAME BURNING AT THE WAR MEMORIAL

2. LT. GENERAL RAMESHWAR ROY, PLACING A WREATH AT THE MEMORIAL

3. SECURITY PERSONNEL GIVING A SALUTE

4. ROY PAYING TRIBUTE AT THE MEMORIAL

5. A PLAQUE BUILT AT THE MEMORIAL

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LT. GENERAL RAMESHWAR ROY, SAYING: "There is absolutely no confirmed report of any Taliban footprint in J and K and elsewhere. As regards future, if at all any such thing happens we are quite capable of tackling any kind of fighters of any category."

7. DIGNITARIES

8. ARMY OFFICIALS

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) LT. GENERAL RAMESHWAR ROY, SAYING: "Security situation in Jammu and Kashmir has never been better than this. You take any parameter, be it violence level or any other kind of disturbance, in 2009, there is no indicator, which has gone up than the previous years. All the parameters have been better than past years."

10. ROY SIGNING VISITOR'S BOOK

11. ROY WRITING IN THE BOOK

12. BAND PLAYING

13. GV OF THE WAR MEMORIALSTORY: A senior Indian army officer on Wednesday (December 16) denied reports of any Taliban presence in northern Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing the media on the sidelines of Victory Day celebrations in Jammu, Lt. General Rameshwar Roy said, "There is absolutely no confirmed report of any Taliban footprint in J and K and elsewhere. As regards future, if at all any such thing happens we are quite capable of tackling any kind of fighters of any category."

Roy further added that security situation in Kashmir was better than the previous years.

"Security situation in Jammu and Kashmir has never been better than this. You take any parameter, be it violence level or any other kind of disturbance, in 2009, there is no indicator, which has gone up than the previous years. All the parameters have been better than past years," said Roy.

India suspended a five-year-old peace process that included the composite dialogue with its neighbour after the Mumbai attacks in November last year.ndia blamed the attack on Pakistan-based militants that it said were supported by state agencies. Pakistan condemned the assault on India's financial capital in which 166 people were killed and denied any official involvement.

Indian and Pakistani leaders and senior officials have met several times on the sidelines of international gatherings over the past year but India insists Pakistan must take forceful action against militants before talks are resumed.

The nuclear-armed neighbours have fought three wars since 1947 and nearly went to war a fourth time in 2002, after a militant attack on India's parliament.

The United States wants the rivals to reduce tension and resume dialogue on a range of issues from trade to the disputed Kashmir region so that Pakistan can focus on the war against the Taliban and al Qaeda on its Afghan border.