International

Musharraf seeks support on stand-off with India

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Feb. 28. The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, today appealed to the international community to pressure India into responding favourably to Pakistan's offer for resumption of a dialogue to resolve all outstanding disputes between the two countries.

Talking to the visiting Mauritius Foreign Minister, Anil Kumarsingh Gayan, Gen. Musharraf gave details of the Indo-Pakistan military stand-off, resulting from what he called the massive Indian troop deployment on the borders.

An official statement said the Pakistan President expressed the hope that friendly governments would support Pakistan's stand and impress upon the Indian side to respond positively to its call.

Gen. Musharraf thanked the Mauritius Minister for offering the support of his government in this regard. Mr. Gayan conveyed the "profound appreciation and support for Pakistan's decision'' to join the international coalition against terrorism and for Gen. Musharraf's speech of January 12.

In a related development, Pakistan is hoping that the meeting of SAARC Information Ministers scheduled here from March 7 to 9 will help defuse the tension between India and Pakistan.

However, there are no indications whether New Delhi would like to use the opportunity for any bilateral initiatives. Sources said India was looking at the ministerial conference strictly as a SAARC affair.

According to the schedule, the senior officials' meeting will be presided over by the Federal Secretary, Information, Syed Anwar Mahmood, while the concluding remarks are to be made by Nepal's Information Minister.

The organisers said the agenda also included the matter of deciding the methodology for publicity and projection of SAARC activities within and outside the region and evolving a common position for projection at the world summit of the information society, to held in Switzerland in 2003.

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