International

Bush urges Musharraf to hold elections

Washington: Pushing Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to lift Emergency, U.S. President George W Bush has asked the General to shed military uniform and hold elections “as soon as possible”, adding his voice to the wave of international condemnation against the measure.

Breaking his silence over the imposition of Emergency by his ally in the war against terror, Mr. Bush, however, declined to discuss the consequences if Gen. Musharraf defied his advice, saying “I certainly hope he does take my advice.”

“We expect there to be elections as soon as possible, and that the President should remove his military uniform,” Mr. Bush said.

“Our hope is that he will restore democracy as quickly as possible.”

“I certainly hope he does take my advice. And so that’s all we can do is continue to work with the President as well as others in the Pakistan government to make it abundantly clear the position of the United States. And then, obviously, we’ll deal with it if something other than that happens,” Mr. Bush said at the White House after his summit meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdog on Monday.

In the first highest level contact between the U.S and Pakistan since Emergency was imposed, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned Gen. Musharraf from her plane following Mr. Bush’s instructions while she was on her way to Washington after her West Asia visit.

Mr. Bush had earlier said he had asked Secretary [of State Condoleezza] Rice to call him and convey that “we expect there to be elections as soon as possible and that the President should remove his military uniform.” — PTI

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