U.S., Taliban must resolve stand-off amicably: Musharraf

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, SEPT. 30. The Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, for the first time conceded today that he perceived a `danger of damage' to the Taliban because of its refusal to hand over the Saudi dissident, Osama bin Laden.

In an half-hour interview to the American television network, CNN, Gen. Musharraf said Pakistan would like any ``further steps'' to be undertaken under the aegis of the United Nations. He appealed to the U.S. and the Taliban to arrive at an amicable solution on the stand-off over the Osama issue in the interests of the people of Afghanistan and the region.

On what Pakistan would not like to see, Gen. Musharraf said ``we would not like the Pakistani troops to cross our borders.'' The U.S., he said, had not disclosed to Pakistan the details of its operational plans in the event of a confrontation with the Taliban.

Conceding that a ``small minority'' of religious extremists were opposed to his decision of siding with the U.S. in its fight against international terrorism, he said his Government, which enjoyed the support of the vast majority, was fully capable of dealing with them.

Answering a question, Gen. Musharraf indirectly said Pakistan was concerned over reports of efforts to replace the Taliban with an alternative set-up, particularly the Northern Alliance. ``We are for a peaceful and friendly Afghanistan. Our position is the Government in Afghanistan should reflect the aspirations of all and take care of the ethnic composition of the country. I do not know how far the Northern Alliance fits into this category.''

Gen. Musharraf agreed that Pakistan had paid a diplomatic price at the international level because of its ties with the Taliban but he was not apologetic about the relations between Islamabad and Kabul. ``We were interacting with the Taliban because of our national interest. I agree we have suffered on account of our relationship with the Taliban. We continue to interact with them. We have been trying to moderate them,'' he said.

`Dim hope'

His Government's two missions to prevail upon the Taliban supremo, Mullah Mohammad Omar, to agree to the demands of the U.S. had not succeeded. ``The hope (of success) is dim. There was some flexibility in the Taliban after the edict of the religious clerics. But the latest signals are not encouraging,'' he said.

So far, the U.S. had not shared with Pakistan any evidence about the involvement of Osama and his Al-Qeida in the terrorist strikes of September 11 in New York and Washington. Sharing of information that was not confidential could go a long way in helping people understand the U.S. charge, the General said.

Denying that there were differences within the Pakistan Army over his support to the U.S. against the Taliban, Gen. Musharraf said the Army was one of the most disciplined institutions in the world. His Government, nonetheless, was concerned about the activities of some extremist groups within Pakistan but was determined to put an end to their activities. Even before September 11, his administration had initiated measures to tame the extremist elements to improve internal law and order.

Gen. Musharraf denied that the `madrassas' (religious schools) of Pakistan were the breeding grounds for extremism. They were the largest network of welfare organisations, offering free education to six lakh students. In response to a question on the safety of the nuclear facilities in his country, Gen. Musharraf said the command and control system was very secure and there was no way the facilities could fall into the hands of the fanatics.

Asked about the aid being offered by the Western block after Pakistan agreed to become a `frontline State' again, Gen. Musharraf said his Government was not for any deal on terrorism.

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