The Hindu : Musharraf extends a 'note of friendship'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 26, 2003

International

International

Musharraf extends a 'note of friendship'

By P.S. Suryanarayana

KUALA LUMPUR Feb. 25. The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, today said that he "would like to extend a note of friendship" towards India, even as he defended his action of portraying New Delhi in a poor light at the Non-Aligned Movement summit here.

Responding to a question from The Hindu about his cameo of combative diplomacy and its implications for the India-Pakistan dialogue process in the foreseeable future, Gen. Musharraf said: "I think, when the situation is such that it can't even get worse, anything that one does... really... does not matter... Because, we are not having a (bilateral) dialogue... we are not having SAARC meetings. We don't want to play cricket with each other... I don't think anything that we do can be worse than what is already happening. I had no intention whatsoever on raising tempers here. I did not name anyone as such... I spoke in very broad terms. I spoke of the voice of principle versus the voice of power. I regret that the response (from India) was directed at me. However, I am not here (NAM summit) to raise an issue and, may be, increase the tension. I would like to keep it at this''.

Asked if he would still have a new initiative up his sleeve to address this latest crisis of confidence in India-Pakistan ties, Gen. Musharraf said: "Prime Minister Vajpayee replied in a form, but still, I would like to extend a note of friendship that we would like to resolve all disputes. We want to get into a dialogue with India (again) on all issues''.

Addressing a press conference, Gen.. Musharraf said that he had not come to the summit to try and win new friends or influence the NAM nations as regards Pakistan's views on Kashmir. "Frankly, the summit did not deal with Kashmir in particular''. He said that NAM "must not use U.N. resolutions selectively".

He made this observation in the context of the transparent diplomatic reality here that no other NAM leader made any conspicuous comment on Kashmir, while the entire forum was deeply engrossed in the nuances of the various U.N. resolutions pertaining to the current crisis in

Iraq or the ongoing Palestinian struggle and international terrorism.

Gen. Musharraf said there was no contradiction between the NAM principles and the status of either Pakistan or India, which he described as "'the champion of non-alignment", as two states with nuclear weapons within this movement.

"I am bothered more about the aspersion being cast on Pakistan that it was aiding North Korea's nuclear weapons programme in a quid pro quo deal.

We are not into proliferating nuclear or missile technology at all'', he said.

On Iraq, Pakistan would, as a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, decide on the latest U.S.-sponsored resolution only after studying the anticipated Blix report next month.

Assuring that Osama bin Laden was not being harboured in Pakistan, he said the group had now ceased to exist as an "organised" purveyor of terrorism.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

Stories in this Section

'Kashmir not a bilateral issue'

Musharraf extends a 'note of friendship'

Britain moves new resolution in U.N.

Report peace process responsibly: Ranil

U.S. dismisses Saddam's offer of debate

Pak. coalition heading for majority?

U.S. preparing ground to secure oil fields?

Muslim cleric in U.K. convicted

'He will try to fool the world again'

Passport for Prabakaran's son?

NAM leaders denounce terrorism