NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
K J M Varma in Islamabad
Ahead of his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New York next month, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Monday brought the Kashmir issue to the fore saying he would guarantee there could be no progress in Indo-Pak ties unless it (Kashmir) was solved.
Pakistani official news agency APP quoted Musharraf as saying that he would meet Vajpayee in New York on September 19 on the sidelines of the U N General Assembly session.
But officials later clarified that the Pakistan President would leave for New York on September 19.
"We have already extended an invitation to the Indian Prime Minister and the meeting would take place on September 19 in New York on the sidelines of the U N General Assembly," he was quoted as addressing the joint session of the Pakistan occupied Kashmir assembly and the Pakistan government constituted Kashmir Council, at the PoK Capital Muzaffarabad.
On day Vajpayee officially said that he would meet the Pakistan President in New York next month, Musharraf said, "I give this guarantee whether talks take place in Agra, New York or Islamabad one thing is clear that without solution of Kashmir issue, progress in the relations between Pakistan and India is not possible."
Musharraf on Monday went hammer and tongs at the Kashmir issue asserting that finding a solution to this vexed issue was a 'priority number one' for improvement of relations between the two countries, and said it would remain the focal point of his future dialogue with Indian leadership.
Amid thunderous applause from the PoK legislators, Musharraf declared, "we are ready to discuss everything, but Kashmir should be the first priority."
Strongly dispelling that Indian allegation that he was unifocal and rigid, he said he never stated he would not discuss issues other than Kashmir with India.
"What I have stated is that we should prioritise the issues and Kashmir should be the first priority," he added.
"I hope better sense will prevail across the border in India to make efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue," he said.
Tell us what you think of this report
