ISLAMABAD: In a new twist to the ongoing India-Pakistan dialogue on Kashmir, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said both sides should consider whether the peace process should be "guaranteed" by the international community.

"I think if we reach an agreement [on Kashmir] there should be something other than just bilateral guarantees. I think the international community should play a role in the guarantees. And this is a new thing that I am saying. We are talking of guarantees which go beyond us," he told the English newspaper Daily Times in an interview.

Gen. Musharraf has said that since he believed the Kashmir issue should be resolved within his and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tenure in office, efforts should be made for a final agreement in the next 12 months. "Grasp the moment. We do not know how much time we have. So, the earlier the better. New leaders may have different perceptions altogether," he quipped in response to a question on the time frame.

`Very glad'

Gen. Musharraf said he hoped Dr. Singh would continue in office and be "allowed" to move forward. "I am very glad to say that my interaction with the BJP leaders, Advani and Vajpayee, has been very good. The only thing that I told them was please do not oppose it because you are in the Opposition."

Asked what sort of pressures would mount on him and Pakistan if the Kashmir issue does not move towards resolution in the next year, Gen. Musharraf said: "Well, people will say why are we wasting time talking to them? Why are we going ahead with Confidence Building Measures when there is no movement on the core issue."

"Is there something between autonomy and independence, like self-governance, that might be acceptable? What would it imply? What are the implications of self-governance as opposed to autonomy? And when we talk of self-governance, who governs? Obviously, the Kashmiris should govern themselves. But if are not giving them independence, then should all three parties over watch them? And what is the distribution of responsibilities between the Kashmiris and the other two [India and Pakistan]? These are issues which I feel are do-able," he said.

Asked if he could enforce a ceasefire by militant groups, Gen. Musharraf said if there is an agreement, up to a point something could be done. "But I cannot give a guarantee that no bullet will be fired. Absolutely not, that is clear," he said, adding that he did not hold a whistle to end all militancy.

"Obviously, these are individuals who do not agree with me or with the Indian Prime Minister. Unfortunately, these elements will be there to create problems in the transition period. But they will die their own death if we reach a conclusion which the vast majority of Kashmiris and Pakistanis and Indians are willing to accept", he said.

In response to a question on who represented the Kashmiris, Gen. Musharraf said it was a sensitive issue. Stating that the Hurriyat was the true representative of Kashmiris, he said there has to be a "trilateral arrangement" where Kashmiris become part of the dialogue process.

He said Dr. Singh had allowed the Hurriyat leaders to travel to Pakistan and once they visit Pakistan and talk to the Indian Government there would be a trilateral arrangement. "Let us start from here and see if there is any other group who also represents the Kashmiris and needs to be included."

Intentions `good'

On Siachen and Sir Creek, he said the intentions are "very good" on both sides and that is strongly reflected in the joint statement in New Delhi. He claimed that the 1989 agreement on Siachen was based on relocation of troops. "And in 1992 the relocation position was decided. And our Defence Secretary went to India for a signing ceremony. Two hours before the signing ceremony, they backtracked. I think it is a habit with them to backtrack at the last moment," he said.

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