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Going to Nepal with open mind: Musharraf
By B. Muralidhar Reddy
The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, being greeted by the Chinese Premier, Zhu Rongji, on arrival in Beijing on Thursday.- AP
ISLAMABAD, JAN. 3. The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, said here today that he was visiting Nepal with an open mind and looked forward to opportunities at the SAARC meeting.
``I am going with an open mind to contribute my maximum to the meeting'', he said at the airport, before emplaning for Beijing. After overnight stay there, Gen. Musharraf is expected to reach Kathmandu by a special Chinese aircraft sometime tomorrow morning.
Gen. Musharrraf told the Pakistan Television (PTV) representative that he was optimistic about holding useful discussions that would contribute to the peace, stability and tranquillity of the region.
His decision to stop over at Beijing and hold discussions with the Chinese Premier, Zhu Rongji, has been a subject of intense speculation in diplomatic circles. His discussions with the Chinese leaders would obviously be focused on the heightening Indo-Pakistan tension. The decision to go via China was sudden. Immediately after New Delhi made it known that it would allow Gen. Musharraf to overfly to reach Kathmandu, Islamabad had made such a request. But later it was announced that he would travel via China and would not like to make use of the Indian airspace, as it was not available to other Pakistani citizens.
In response to a question about his proposed meetings with the Chinese leaders, Gen. Musharraf said ``we will hold discussions on the prevailing situation''.
In an interview to Saudi Gazette and Okaz he warned that Islamabad would respond in kind if New Delhi initiated any military action that violated Pakistan's land or air frontiers.
``Pakistan wants peace and stable relations with India at present, and in the future'' he said and claimed that for normalisation of ties, Pakistan had taken the initiative time and again.
He referred to his visit to Agra and the Summit between him and the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee. ``In return, I had invited him (Mr. Vajpayee) and his Foreign Minister to visit Pakistan, so that the talks can continue,'' he said.
Pakistan has tried its best to resolve all problems, especially Kashmir the `major burning issue'. ``There are no other issues that can be compared in intensity and magnitude to the Kashmir issue''.
He accused India of avoiding talks on Kashmir. ``Why don't they want to talk about Kashmir? Why do they keep saying Kashmir is not the core issue, or that there are other issues?'' He said Pakistan would continue to strive for dialogue and the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue in accordance ``with the wishes of the Kashmiri people''.
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