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DAVOS (Switzerland): President General Pervez Musharraf Saturday said that Line of Control (LoC) cannot be a solution to the Kashmir dispute and both Pakistan and India will have to go beyond their stated position to resolve this long-standing issue.

Speaking at a breakfast meeting with media leaders, he said that two sides would have to show flexibility and boldness to reach a conclusion.

"LoC cannot be a solution, we have fought wars on it," the President said and posed a question "How can a dispute be made a solution".

No question of any unilateral Shift

President Musharraf said there was no question of any unilateral shift in Pakistan's position on the Kashmir issue.

Referring to his four-step approach towards the resolution of the dispute, President Musharraf said that the first two, resuming dialogue and acceptance of Kashmir as an issue - have already taken place.

"Now is the question of moving forward," the President said and added that as a third step he had proposed to let eliminate things which are unacceptable to the parties concerned - India, Pakistan and the Kashmiri people.

He said the talk of solutions can come up at a later stage.

Good Beginning

The President said a good beginning has been made and the two sides now need to start a composite dialogue to make a progress.

He said there were people with extreme position on both sides and the leadership on both sides have to show courage to stand up to the opposition by the minority.

Responding to a question, the President said the talks between India and Pakistan this time was different form all the previous negotiations as for the first time Kashmir has been accepted as a dispute.

Meeting with Vajpayee

Referring to an agreement reached following his meeting with the Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on the sidelines of the SAARC Summit, the President said there were three main points of the agreement.

He said it was recognized that Kashmir was an issue and need to be resolved. Secondly, the composite dialogue must start to address all outstanding issues including Kashmir and thirdly, Pakistan is a party to the dispute.

Tashkent, Simla, Lahore Declarations

"In all the past talks starting from Tashkent to Simla Declartion to Lahore Declarion, Kashmir was mentioned apologetically," he said.

Nuclear-Free South Asia

Responding to a question, the President said Pakistan had been making proposals of a Nuclear Free South Asia and No-War-Pact with India and added that anything on these accounts have to be on the basis of reciprocity.

He said that Pakistan's unclear and missile capability was due to its defense deterrence compulsion aimed at ensuring its territorial integrity and security.

On the issue of proliferation, the President reiterated Pakistan's commitment to the nuclear non-proliferation.

He pointed out that the IAEA report that followed its talks with Iran contains some name which apart from some individuals from Pakistan also included countries and personalities from the European countries and the East.

"My concern is that why everyone is talking of our scientists and not of those from the European countries," he added.

Probe against Scientists

On the alleged involvement of Pakistani scientists, Musharraf said that an investigation was underway and whoever found involved "we will sort them out" as such people are anti-state elements and working against the national interests.

To a question, the President reassured that the country's nuclear and strategic assets were absolutely in safe hands and there was no question of its falling into extremists' hand.

He said these assets were placed in under the safe custodial control and there was a National Command Authority and a Strategic Planning Division which were looking at the entire security and matters related to the security of nuclear weapons.

Purpose of Visit

President Musharraf said that purpose of his visit was to try to remove misperceptions about Pakistan.

He said these were misperceptions that whatever was happening across its eastern border with Afghanistan war happening from Pakistan or whatever happening in held Kashmir was from Pakistan.

A Misperception

Moreover, he said, it was also a misperception that Pakistan is an extremist and fundamentalist country.

"Pakistan is really a victim of misperception to a large extent and the reality on ground is different," he added.

Global Issues

On the global issues, the President said that what happened after the 9/11 and, even before this event, led to increasing tension in the world.

He said there were ongoing issues of Palestine-Israel and the Kashmir and after 9/11 the issues of Iraq and Afghanistan added to it.

The President stated that the process of decreasing this tension caused by these disputes have not yet started and urged the need of peaceful resolution of all these disputes for the world peace.

Taliban

Replying to a question, the President said that it was also a misperception that Taliban were Pakistan's creation. He said the creation of Taliban were within themselves and the events inside Afghanistan led to their creation.

He said Pakistan had to have a diplomatic relations with Taliban as they were holding 90% of the entire Afghan territory at the time.

The President said there were also some misperceptions about Pakistan's intelligence agencies, specially the ISI.

ISI: A disciplined Organization

He said ISI was extremely a disciplined organization working under the control of the government and in line with the country's national interests.

To a question, he said al-Qaeda was an ineffective outfit with no communication linkage and specially in Pakistan they were on the run.

He ruled out any strategic threat of Al-Qaeda and Taliban joining and occupying an area and establishing their own existence.

Pakistan: Moderate Islamic Country

Replying to a question, President Musharraf said that Pakistan is a moderate Islamic country with a very small extremist minority.

US satisfied with Pakistan's assurance on non-Proliferation

The US Vice President Dick Cheney who met President General Pervez Musharraf on Saturday expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by Pakistan for nuclear non-proliferation.

After an hour long meeting, President Musharraf said all issues of mutual interest and regional and international situation were discussed.

The President said that he was happy that the US fully understood that Pakistan government was not involved in any proliferation, in any way.

'Individuals with Personal Gains'

"It were some individuals, who for personal gains, were involved in some sort of proliferation," he said.

The President termed it "very sad that any person leaves aside his national interests for some personal gains." He said "we are investigating and they (the USA) are very satisfied over it."

Indo-Pakistan Thaw

Musharraf said he discussed the developments in Pakistan and India relations with the US Vice President who expressed satisfaction over the initiation of a dialogue process to settle all outstanding disputes.

President informed that the venue and level of talks between Pakistan and India were being worked out.

Afghan Scenario

President Musharraf said the two sides reviewed the situation in Afghanistan. "We informed them about the steps we are taking in our area and they were very satisfied."

Musharraf said Dick Cheney expressed his appreciation for Pakistan's contribution and "we told them that we will not let any foreign element (terrorists) operate in Pakistan."

He said the discussion between the two was "very good".

Objectives

When asked how he viewed his visit to Davos, Musharraf said, he came there with two objectives; to project Pakistan and to inform the world what is happening there and to remove the misperceptions created about it.

He said he had useful interaction with business leaders and told them about the conducive business environment that exists in Pakistan.

Visit to Israel relies on normalization of Relations

An English daily of Pakistan quotes President Pervez Musharraf as saying that if Pakistan’s diplomatic relations established with Israel, he could visit the Jewish state.

Musharraf said Israel should give Palestinians’ their genuine rights. He conversed in a chance encounter with former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres in Davos, says the paper by adding that 'the two met outside a VIP lounge at the annual World Economic Forum. Shimon Peres said ‘Mr. President we have many misunderstandings between our two countries’.

President Musharraf, the daily says, told, we could try to remove them but the major responsibility set upon you, you should give rights to the people of Palestine.

Shimon Peres said our friends were working for peace and understanding with Palestinians. He however said that only a strong leadership could fight against terrorism.

Peres invited Musharraf for a visit to Israel. President Musharraf said he could visit Israel if the relations between the two countries get normalized.