news details |
|
|
| Kashmir issue figures in talks between Musharraf, Blair | | |
ISLAMABAD, NOV 19
The Kashmir issue figured today in talks between President Pervez Musharraf and British Prime Minister Tony Blair who hailed the Pakistani leader's efforts to resolve of all disputes with India and pledged to bolster support for fighting Islamic extremism.
Musharraf identified the Palestine problem as the "core issue" whose resolution he said could turn the downsliding of the situation in Iraq, Lebenon and Afghanistan and beef up efforts for the war on terrorism.
Addressing a joint press conference with Blair in Lahore, Musharraf said he apprised the British leader about the progress in resolving "disputes" with India.
"On our relations with India I did inform the Prime Minister of the developments and way forward and the desire that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and myself, we both are showing towards resolution of all disputes which included Siachen, Sir Creek and Kashmir," he said.
In response, Blair said he paid "tribute to the President and his work in relationship with India today which is allowing all outstanding issues including Kashmir in a different and better way."
"I have always believed and told the Prime Minister (Blair) and he also agrees totally that the core to resolving this dispute (terrorism) lies in resolution of the Palestinian dispute," Musharraf said.
"That will unhinge whatever is happening in Iraq or Lebanon or create effects in Afghanistan and against international terrorism. The whole knot of terrorism will be untied through first resolving Palestinian dispute, that is what I believe and Blair totally agree with that," he said.
Previously Musharraf used to tag the settlement of the Kashmir issue along with Palestinian problem to fight global terrorism.
Blair arrived here last night and travelled to Lahore this morning to hold talks with Musharraf.
He backed Musharraf's theory of enlightened moderation to counter global terrorism, specially in the muslim world and praised Pakistan President's "work" to improve relations with India to resolve all "outstanding issues including Kashmir in "different and better way".
Musharraf, while rejecting the "notion" of Pakistan not doing enough, said Islamabad was opposed to Talibanisation. "We are against extremism and Talbanisation, which is backward culture imposing obscurantist kind of culture on to our society," he said adding that Talibanisation was opposed even in Afghanistan.
"In Pakistan we reject Talibanisation," he said.
Musharraf said Pakistan lost 600 soldiers fighting extremist forces in Pak-Afghan border and denied ever saying that war againt Taliban was not winnable. "I have never said that Afgahan war is unwinnable."
He only wanted political and reconstruction issues to be added to the military campaign to defeat Taliban. "Taliban problem is an Afghan problem. Soloutoin lies in what you do in Afghanistan not in Pakistan.
"In Pakistan we have to take action against elements supporting whatever happening in South East Afghanistan," he said. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
