Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Kashmir will not be sold out: Musharraf tells leaders

IRNA

Islamabad, Dec 22, IRNA -- Pakistani President General Pervez 
Musharraf Monday told a congregation of Kashmiri leaders in Rawalpindi
he was for the UN resolutions on Kashmir and that Kashmir would not be
sold out at any cost. 
"I want the Kashmir dispute to be settled under the United Nations
resolutions. I believe in UN resolutions on Kashmir. I haven`t given 
any proposal which might dent the Kashmir cause," the Kashmiri leaders
quoted General Musharraf as saying in the meeting. 
The meeting was called to take the Kashmiri leadership into 
confidence following criticism to General Musharraf`s offer of 
withdrawing demand for plebiscite in the Indian-controlled Kashmir. 
In what appeared to be a paradigm change in Pakistan`s Kashmir 
policy, President Musharraf reportedly said on Thursday that Islamabad
was ready to forgo the demand of a UN-mandated plebiscite in Kashmir, 
if New Delhi also showed flexibility in its stance on the issue to 
settle it once for all. 
"The interview that I had given to a foreign news agency should be
read in its real context," he said, without elaborating. 
The president was also quoted as saying that Pakistan has 
principled stand on Kashmir and they want to resolve the dispute 
through UN resolutions. 
"We want meaningful dialogue with India on Kashmir dispute and the
international community also wants Pakistan and India resume talks so 
that the Kashmir dispute is resolved. Now the ball is in Indian court 
and now it is India`s turn to act to help resolve the issue." 
About fencing along the Line of Control by the Indian forces, 
President Musharraf termed it a negative attitude adding. "We have 
registered our protest with the Indian authorities and Pakistan can 
root it out at any time of its choice." 
The president told Kashmiri leaders that Kashmir dispute is 
internationally recognized and that peace in South Asia could only be 
ensured after the Kashmir issue is solved, Information Minister Sheik 
Rashid Ahmad told reporters after the meeting. 
Islamabad and New Delhi relationship is marred by three wars and 
tensions since their creation in 1947 over Kashmir issue. One part of 
it is controlled by Pakistan while the other by India. 
/TSH/AH/210 
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