President urges India to reciprocate flexibility on Kashmir
—stresses grasping new dimensions of anti-terror fight

BRUSSELS—President General Pervez Musharraf Tuesday said sincerity, flexibility, boldness and courage were needed from leadership of Pakistan and India to resolve the Kashmir dispute and hoped his likely meeting with Dr Manmohan Singh in Cuba would be useful and substantive towards moving the peace process forward.
Addressing the opening session of Global Discourse on Kashmir, co-sponsored by the Kashmir committee and all parties group on Kashmir in Brussels, he underlined that the two countries need to move away from their stated position to find a durable solution that is acceptable to them and above all the Kashmiri people.
He however made it clear that flexibility has to be mutual and Pakistan would never compromise on its honour and dignity and would never show flexibility unilaterally.
The President also stated there was no change in Pakistan's principled stand on Kashmir which calls for the resolution of the dispute in line with the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
President Musharraf is expected to meet the Indian Prime Minister on the margins of Non Aligned Movement in Havana later this week.
This will be the first meeting between the leaders of the South Asian nuclear leaders after the Mumbai blasts. India in July postponed the meeting of top diplomats of the two countries to review progress in the third round of composite dialogue process that began in February 2004.
President Musharraf said it was difficult to understand why India put on hold the dialogue process. "We must not allow the acts of terrorism to affect the peace process in which both Pakistan and India have equal and important stakes," he added.
He recalled that Pakistan had offered to help in investigation relating to Mumbai blasts on the basis of specific information and promised to pursue the matter "at our end in the same way as we cooperate with other countries in counter-terrorism."
The President said finger pointing would help no one and added the two sides need to move forward and in future avoid interruption in the process that "must be sustained with strong determination and commitment."
He said stopping of dialogue process through such acts of terrorism "is exactly playing into the hands of terrorists who want to stall and disturb the peace process. If we exactly do that, it is the terrorist who is winning."
The President said in Cuba he looked forward to a useful discussion with the Indian Prime Minister and in moving the peace process forward.
He said an invitation has already been extended to the Indian Prime Minister to visit Pakistan and hoped that he does pay a visit and help the peace process move forward.
He emphasized that the world community must help both Pakistan and India to make progress and resolve this long-standing Kashmir dispute.
The UN resolution represents solemn commitment of the world community to the people of Kashmir in resolving the dispute, he added.
President General Pervez Musharraf has said that the scourge of terrorism was eliminated from the soil of Pakistan and efforts were underway to root out extremism, however, it will take some time.
He stated this here while addressing Pakistani community. The concrete measures were being taken at gross roots level to get rid of scourge of extremism, he said.
President General Pervez Musharraf urging Pakistani expatriates to invest in Pakistan asked them to send maximum foreign exchange to give further boost to the country's economy.
The President stressed them to play their due role to enhance the dignity and prestige of the country at international level.
He said that Pakistan and Belgium have strong economic ties, which need to be further expanded.
He urged Pakistani community to invest in Pakistan and send maximum foreign exchange to give further boost to the country economy.
He further added that Pakistani living in Belgium should play role for the development of Belgium. On the occasion Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, Azad Jammu Kashmir Prime Minister Sardar Attique Ahmad Khan, Kashmiri leaders and others prominent personalities were present.
He stressed on the Pakistani community to impart modern education to their children.
President Gen Pervez Musharraf informed the Pakistani community about the steps taken by government to boost the country's economy, provision of basic facilities of life to people and instability in the region.
Earlier, great and warm welcome was given to President Gen Pervez Musharraf on his arrival.
Pakistan and Belgium enjoy very cordial and friendly relations and the efforts were being taken to further boost ties between the two countries.
Referring to Pak-India relations, Musharraf said, the peace dialogue process was deadlocked. However, he said, Pakistan has always been desirous for good relations with India.—Agencies