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War not an end in itself: Kasuri

Nirupama Subramanian

ISLAMABAD: "I don't understand. ... Yes, we have fought wars for 30 years, and I can add further, we have been lobbing shells across for 30 years along the Line of Control. We fought for 26 years in Siachen glacier, but should that be an end in itself? No, I don't think so," Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid M. Kasuri said at an informal interaction here on Wednesday.

``Other means''

He said this when reminded by a journalist that Pakistan and India had fought three wars over Kashmir. France and Germany had also fought bitter wars, Mr. Kasuri said, but they resolved their differences by "other means."

"It is the cumulative experience, with both countries having become nuclear powers, with both having missiles, with both having the power to destroy each other many times over that they have decided that the only feasible way out is a dialogue and talks, and under the composite dialogue we are continuing to talk on all issues, including Kashmir. So this is the cumulative experience of the last 60 years that is coming into play."

But, he stressed, any solution would "have to be in consonance with the wishes of the Kashmiris."

No unilateral compromise

"Don't forget the 60 years experience between Indians, Pakistanis and Kashmiris. The President [General Pervez Musharraf] said for conflict resolution, there have to be compromises by all parties involved. It is not going to be an unilateral compromise by Pakistan."

Mr. Kasuri said he could not understand what the fuss over General Musharraf's remarks was about as he had not said anything new to NDTV; he only repeated what he had said several times before. General Musharraf said much more to A.G. Noorani, who interviewed him for Frontline.

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