Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=7/7/2001

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-277998

TITLE=PAK/INDIA (L-O)

BYLINE= AYAZ GUL

DATELINE=ISLAMABAD

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraf says Pakistan's long-standing conflict with India over Kashmir has to be settled before commercial, trade and cultural links are established between the two nations. As Ayaz Gul reports from Islamabad, the Pakistani leader is going

to India next week to discuss the Kashmir dispute, which has caused two wars between India and Pakistan, and remains a major source of military tensions.

TEXT: President Musharraf says he is determined to keep his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee focused on finding a solution to what he calls the core issue of Kashmir. He told reporters (Friday) at his residence in the garrison town of Rawalpindi that unless the Kashmir dispute is removed, there can be no improvement with India on issues such as trade and economic cooperation.

//Musharraf Act//

You can't put the cart before the horse. You must resolve the (Kashmir) dispute. When there is anger, you are fighting each other, what kind of trade, what kind of commercial relations, what kind of cultural relations (that is simply not possible). That is I think not the correct approach and it smells suspiciously also.

//End Act//

Both Pakistan and India claim the divided region of Kashmir. New Delhi claims it as an "integral part" of India. Islamabad insists it is a disputed territory and that people in Kashmir must be allowed to vote on its status. The region has been a cause of two wars between India and Pakistan.

President Musharraf is due to arrive in India on July 14th and will hold talks with Indian Prime Minster Vajpayee in the city of Agra the following two days. Mr. Musharraf says he will be "flexible" in the talks. But he says if both sides stick to their stated positions on Kashmir, there will be no progress. The Pakistani leader says he is "cautiously optimistic" that the summit would be a success.

//Musharraf Act//

We are starting from a plain where we suspect each other. We do not trust each other at all and there is so much tension between each other that to say that I am optimistic, I think it is not very realistic. So therefore I think cautious optimism is the maximum one can suggest.

//End Act//

President Musharraf says he may meet leaders of a major separatist alliance, All Party Hurriyat Conference, during his visit to India. New Delhi has told Pakistan that it sees no role for the Kashmiri group at the summit. India has maintained that it does not consider the alliance to be the sole representative of the Kashmiri people.

//Musharraf Act//

I would like to meet them, but one would not like to create such a big fuss over this issue as long as at some time they are then included in the dialogue process. I would say it will be very unrealistic if the Kashmiris did not join this dialogue at some stage in the future.

//End Act//

India accuses Pakistan of aiding a decade long Islamic insurgency in its part of Kashmir. Islamabad denies the charge, saying it only provides moral and political support to the fighters. (SINGED)

NEB/AG/PT