International
Pak. upbeat over Chinese support
By B. Muralidhar Reddy
ISLAMABAD, JAN. 5. Pakistan is seeking to portray the meeting between the President, Pervez Musharraf, and the Chinese Premier, Zhu Rongji, at Beijing as a signal of Chinese support at a juncture when it was facing `another war' on its border.
The Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), the State-run news agency, in a dispatch from Beijing, said the meeting was a `strong signal' from the Chinese leadership in the light of the military build-up between India and Pakistan.
The APP said that diplomatic circles in Beijing attach high importance to Gen. Musharraf's brief stop-over in Beijing and his meeting with Mr. Rongji, in the wake of growing tension between India and Pakistan.
``Gen. Musharraf's second trip to Beijing, hardly a week after he concluded his five-day state visit, generated a lot of interest and speculation. Most of the diplomats believe the meeting was a strong signal of Chinese support to Pakistan at the crucial juncture when Pakistan was facing another war on its border.''
According to the news agency, Gen. Musharraf took the benefit of his stop-over in Beijing to brief his Chinese friends about the massive military built-up by India along its border. ``It was well known to all that Pakistan and China are close friends and neighbours and they often consult each other on strategic matters affecting the region. The diplomatic circles lauded the diplomatic offensive launched by Gen. Musharraf for de-escalating the tense situation prevailing on the border. They termed the Musharraf-Rongji meeting as an important development to avert threats of war in the region.''
It said that during the hour-long meeting with Mr. Rongji, the Pakistan President gave an account of the current situation of the relations between Pakistan and India. He told the Chinese Premier that Pakistan hopes for peace and opposes war, and willing to ease the tension through dialogue.
Mr. Rongji appreciated Pakistan's measures against terrorism and active participation in the international coalition. He also endorsed Pakistan seeking dialogue and peace, the agency said.
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