The Hindu : International / India & World : Musharraf hopes for `wholesome meeting'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 20, 2004

International

International - India & World

Musharraf hopes for `wholesome meeting'

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, SEPT. 19. The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, said he was looking forward to a "wholesome meeting" with the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Talking to reporters at the Chaklala airbase before his departure, Gen. Musharraf expressed the hope that his first face-to-face interaction with Dr. Singh would lead to some "positive indications."

Gen. Musharraf, who has, in recent days, been emphasising the need for progress on Kashmir, chose not to stress on the subject to the exclusivity of others and said his meeting with Dr. Singh would cover all subjects including Kashmir.

`Correct perceptions'

The Pakistan President's Principal Secretary and National Security Adviser, Tariq Aziz, has been engaged in backroom diplomacy with the National Security Adviser, J.N. Dikshit, to prepare the ground for the first formal meeting between Gen. Musharraf and Dr. Singh.

"I look forward to a... wholesome meeting, dealing with all issues, very much including Kashmir...," Gen. Musharraf said. "I am going to meet a number of leaders. I will be meeting President Bush also. This will be, of course, [an] exchange of views on all world issues and I look forward to it."

Gen. Musharraf is scheduled to address the U.N. General Assembly on September 22 and have a breakfast meeting with Mr. Bush on the same day.

During his meetings with world leaders the focus would be on encouraging investment in Pakistan and promoting business, trade and commercial relations, he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

International

News Update

Stories in this Section

Iraq had no WMD: report

Iran terms IAEA move illegal

Polls as scheduled, says Allawi

Taliban intimidates voters

Attack bid in Moscow

Lost for words

Serbs go to the polls

Linguists' meeting bars Nobel laureate

Nader back on ballot

Friendship for auction on eBay

U.N. threatens Sudan with oil sanctions

Three Iraqis beheaded

Musharraf hopes for `wholesome meeting'

Gurinder Chadha in big league with Bride and Prejudice

U.S. to ease curbs on space, n-facilities