India offers to let victims of quake into Kashmir

The United Nations has made an appeal for more aid for the victims.
MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan (AP) -- In another sign of growing cooperation between South Asia's nuclear rivals, India offered on Saturday to let Pakistani earthquake victims cross the cease-fire line in Kashmir to receive aid at three relief camps it was setting up.
Islamabad, however, was guarded in its initial response, saying the two sides would have to meet to discuss the proposal, which followed calls from Pakistan's president to open up the heavily militarized frontier for Kashmiris seeking relief.
Meanwhile, a U.S.-based human-rights groups accused Pakistani officials of storing tents and other relief supplies instead of immediately distributing them to survivors of the Oct. 8 earthquake that leveled huge swaths of the region.
The allegations came as the United Nations appealed for nations to give more aid, warning of another wave of deaths unless relief arrives for the more than 3 million people left homeless by the quake before the harsh Himalayan winter hits in less than a month.
"We urgently need tents, shelter and helicopters for inaccessible areas," said Jan van de Moortele, the U.N.'s humanitarian aid coordinator for Pakistan. "Time is against us, we can buy everything with money, but not time."
Sought by president
Since the earthquake, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has called for people to be allowed to cross the Line of Control, as the border between the Indian- and Pakistani-controlled parts of Kashmir is known. The border has been long regarded as one of the world's most dangerous flashpoints.
On Friday, Musharraf reiterated his support for the idea in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corp.: "Let people come and help this side or our people go across that side to help in reconstruction. Wherever or whoever wants to do that, let's do it."
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said Saturday that earthquake victims would be allowed to cross the border for medical treatment, provisions and shelter in three camps that could start operating as soon as Tuesday.
Pakistanis could across the border after undergoing a security check and only during daylight hours, Sarna said. The plan also calls for Indians to be allowed to cross into Pakistan to visit with relatives in relief camps there, he said.
A sign of trust
Permitting Kashmiris to cross the Line of Control would be a clear sign of mounting trust between the longtime rivals, raising hopes the shared tragedy of the earthquake could help the countries forge peace. India already has sent tons of relief goods to Pakistan by air and land.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said the two sides would have to meet to discuss the proposal.
Pakistan and India have fought two wars over Kashmir since independence 58 years ago. Both nations claim the region in its entirety. A slow-moving peace process between the neighbors led to the opening of a cross-border bus service earlier this year, but movement of Kashmiris is still heavily restricted.
Some 79,000 people are thought to have been killed in the quake, mostly in northwestern Pakistan and its portion of Kashmir. Nearly 1,400 people have died on the Indian side of Kashmir.