The Hindu : We can facilitate Indo-Pak. talks: Bush

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 14, 2002

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We can facilitate Indo-Pak. talks: Bush
By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, FEB. 13. The United States President, George W. Bush, has said that while the U.S. hopes to facilitate a meaningful dialogue between India and Pakistan, it is ultimately left to the Governments of the two countries to sit down and have a serious and meaningful discussion. The administration will continue to ``press'' India and Pakistan to move in this direction, he noted.

``My hope is that we can facilitate meaningful dialogue between India and Pakistan. The only way this issue is going to be solved if the Pakistan Government and the Indian Government sit down and have serious, meaningful dialogue to resolve this issue'', Mr. Bush said in a joint press availability at the end of his formal meeting with the visiting President of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf.

``You have heard the President of Pakistan say that he hopes for a peaceful resolution. That's our hope as well. The best thing our Government can do is to encourage (the two sides) to come to the table and start to have meaningful, real dialogue. So we'll continue to press for it,'' Mr. Bush said in response to a question if the U.S. would come forward for mediating between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.

In his prepared remarks, Gen. Musharraf said he was committed to a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute and argued that ``all other'' differences with India should also be settled through peaceful means. The Pakistani leader stressed that the U.S. can facilitate a solution.

``I am committed to a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people. All other differences existing between Pakistan and India should also be settled through peaceful means. We believe that the U.S. can facilitate such a solution and help South Asia turn a new leaf'', Gen. Musharraf said.

He said he had apprised Mr. Bush of the ``massive and aggressive'' deployment of Indian forces along the border and the serious security situation that this had created. ``The immediate return of Indian forces to peacetime location and early resumption of dialogue between Pakistan and India is the way forward.''

Visiting the White House for the first time, Gen. Musharraf received a very warm welcome and high praise from the American President for his role in the campaign against terrorism as also for the assistance and work in trying to secure the release of the kidnapped American journalist, Daniel Pearl.

Mr. Bush made the point at the very outset that Pakistan's support for Operation Enduring Freedom had been critical to the U.S.' success thus far in toppling the Taliban regime and routing out the al-Qaeda network.

He also referred to Kashmir and tensions with India in his prepared remarks. ``I also applaud President Musharraf's clearly stated intention to work for peace in Kashmir and lower tensions with India,'' he said.Mr. Bush and Gen. Musharraf, after their bilateral discussion at the Oval Office, are continuing the talks over lunch. In the morning the two leaders are said to have touched on a range of issues over and beyond the larger fight against terrorism over and beyond Afghanistan. The topics included economic and defence relationships between the two countries, tensions between India and Pakistan and the road to democracy within Pakistan. Gen. Musharraf called the morning session of talks as ``fruitful and constructive''.

After lunch, Gen. Musharraf will be going to the Pentagon for talks with the Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld. While the impression is that the Pakistani leader is keen on weapons procurement including top of the line fighter jets, indications are that the Bush administration will not be too eager to give the nod at this time given that this could be another factor in the continuing tensions in the sub-continent.

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