Will discuss Kashmir and more: Musharraf
The Pakistan Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez
Musharraf, today maintained that the ``root cause'' of the
tension between India and Pakistan is the unresolved Jammu and
Kashmir dispute, but declared his readiness to discuss all other
outstanding issues between the two countries during his proposed
summit meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee.
'Any day from end June'
Pakistan is proposing any time between the
third week of June to first week of July for Gen. Pervez
Musharraf's visit to New Delhi. In an interview to the BBC, he
said, ``I am available as soon as we arrive at a mutually
convenient date. We are proposing June 20, 25, end of June or
early July as possible dates. We have to arrive at a coordinated
date.''
India happy
India today reacted positively to the formal
acceptance of the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee's invitation
for talks by Gen. Pervez Musharraf.
Invitation to Musharraf well thought-out: PM
The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari
Vajpayee, today asked the All-Party Hurriyat Conference to talk
to the Government interlocutor, Mr. K. C. Pant, before pressing
for a meeting with Pakistan's Chief Executive and military ruler,
Gen. Pervez Musharraf.
'I am looking ahead with optimism'
The Pakistan military ruler and Chief
Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, today hailed the invitation
extended to him by the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee,
to visit New Delhi as ``bold, courageous and an act of
statesmanship''. He said he was going with a ``flexible and open
mind''.
Pant meets Shabir Shah, others
The Centre's interlocutor, Mr. K.C. Pant, today
continued his efforts of holding talks with various groups and
individuals in Kashmir, adding a political component in the
process.
Redefine Centre-State ties: TDP
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president and
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, today
said his party would not destabilise the NDA Government but would
press the Centre for a thorough redefinition of Centre-State
relations.
Manipur BJP headed for split
With a BJP Government in Manipur out of the
question, the party is now reconciled to a split in its ranks in
the State. Nineteen of the 20 MLAs, who recently crossed over to
the BJP, may support the efforts of the State Assembly Speaker,
Mr. Dhananjay Singh, to form a government.
Omar escapes bid on life
Militants today made an unsuccessful attempt on
the life of the Union Minister of State for Commerce, Mr. Omar
Abdullah, when he inaugurated a computer centre in a school in
Srinagar.
No trace of Prabhakar
The Rajasthan police today expressed its
ignorance about the whereabouts of the former cricketer, Mr.
Manoj Prabhakar, and denied having received any request from the
Uttaranchal or Delhi police to nab him.
