Kashmir will be core issue: Musharraf

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, AUG. 28. Sharp observations made by the Pakistani military ruler and President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, on the primacy of Kashmir in normalisation of relations between India and Pakistan has caught diplomatic circles here by surprise.

It has not gone unnoticed that the comments of Gen. Musharraf, made in his address to the joint session of Pakistan- occupied Kashmir (PoK) Assembly and Council at Muzaffarabad on Monday, came a day after the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, announced in Lucknow about possibility of a meeting with the Pakistan President on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York next month.

Significantly, the announcement by Mr. Vajpayee about possibility of a conference at New York to continue the process of dialogue that began at Agra came after the Pakistan President sent a formal letter seeking a meeting. It appears India sought such a letter and the military establishment had no problem in responding with promptness.

``I am willing to meet Mr. Vajpayee. I have no personal ego. I don't believe in protocols. I would not mind inviting Mr. Vajpayee for a meeting in New York.

``But at the same time, I would like to assure this forum that whether talks are held in Agra or in New York or in Islamabad, one thing is clear that without solution of the core issue of Kashmir, progress in relations between the two countries will be impossible,'' Gen. Musharraf told the members of the PoK Assembly and Council.

Gen. Musharraf told the members that he never had any reservations about discussing other issues but he only wanted Kashmir to be center of the talks.

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