Kashmir issue can be solved in two weeks: Musharraf

The Kashmir issue can be solved in two weeks if leaders of both India and Pakistan display the political will, President Pervez Musharraf said in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.

Asked if he shared the optimism of some that the Kashmir issue could be settled in a couple of years, Musharraf said: "Why two years, I think it can be resolved within two weeks if we have the will."

He said the most important thing was for the leadership of both the nations to have the will to reach a conclusion. "At this moment, the leadership has the will and I am very hopeful," he told reporters during a refueling stopover on his way to Australia for a bilateral visit.

He said talks were being held on issues such as withdrawing troops from Siachen, adding the parleys to redeploy the troops were meant to end the 'eyeball to eyeball confrontation' and 'I am sure we'll reach a conclusion.'

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Sunday that the two countries were exploring the possibility of pulling their troops out of Siachen Glacier, the world's highest battlefield and turn it into a 'mountain of peace.'

Musharraf said he would love to visit Kashmir. "I would love to go there," but added that he would not make a formal proposal to visit the region as "the time is not ripe yet."

He refused to affirm whether he would step down in 2007 and hand over power to a civilian leader, saying: "We will cross the bridge when we come to it."