Musharraf offers to meet Vajpayee

NEW DELHI, FEB. 7. Pakistan's military ruler, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, has made a direct offer to meet the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, but maintained that the two sides could break the ``logjam'' and reduce tension only by addressing the Kashmir issue.

``We should meet ... I would certainly like to meet him (Mr. Vajpayee),'' Gen. Musharraf said in an interview to Mr. Karan Thapar at the Army House in Rawalpindi, which was telecast by Doordarshan tonight.

``We ought to break the logjam and reduce tension, which can be done only through a discussion,'' he said. Asked whether he would hold elections next year, Gen. Musharraf said, ``I cannot say that.'' He said he was involved in bringing about structural and strategic changes in Pakistan. ``These are real changes which are everlasting and futuristic and they will take a little time.''

He asserted that Pakistan now had a ``civilian regime with a military head and was being monitored by the military''.

Gen. Musharraf sought to counter New Delhi's accusation that Pakistan was indulging in sustained anti-India propaganda by stating that Mr. Vajpayee, the Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, and the Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, had made a ``number of threats'' against Pakistan. ``It needed a lot of restraint from my side not to respond.''

Virtually declining to make any commitment on no-first use of nuclear weapons against India, he kept the nuclear option open, saying, ``We will take a decision when the occasion arises.''

Asked why Pakistan was not taking credible steps to reduce tension such as declaring that it would not be the first to use nuclear weapons, he said, ``I have said very clearly that nuclear power should not be used. However, when our national integrity is threatened, then we will take a decision (on exercising the nuclear option) at that time.''

On the possibility of a nuclear flare-up, he said, ``I wouldn't say there are chances. If at all India escalates on the LoC in Kashmir, there can be chances.''

Gen. Musharraf also admitted to the authenticity of the audio tapes made public by India, containing his conversation as Army Chief with his Chief of General Staff on the Kargil intrusions, but sought to contest New Delhi's assertion that it proved the Pakistani Army's involvement in the incursions.

New Delhi had presented the controversial tapes in which Gen. Musharraf, on a visit to Beijing, had spoken to Gen. Mohd. Aziz in Islamabad about the preparedness and planning relating to the Kargil incursions.

``I agree with those tapes totally,'' Gen. Musharraf said, adding, ``the tapes are real, but there is nothing in it whatsoever to prove or indicate Pakistan's involvement. It was normal dialogue that was going... about our Foreign Minister who was going to India''. He added that the tapes presented by New Delhi were ``totally doctored''.

- PTI

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