- Title: PAKISTAN: PAKISTAN'S PRESIDENT PERVEZ MUSHARRAF SAYS NO CHANGE IN KASHMIR POLICY
- Date: 21st December 2003
- Summary: (W1) ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (DECEMBER 22, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN-CONTROLLED KASHMIR, BARRISTER SULTAN MEHMOOD, ARRIVING FOR INTERVIEW 0.05 2. SLV KASHMIRI OFFICIALS SITTING 0.09 3. MCU (English) FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN-CONTROLLED KASHMIR, BARRISTER SULTAN MEHMOOD, SAYING: "Basically, General Musharraf briefed us on the current situation in Kashmir, and he has reiterated that Pakistan will continue to support the Kashmiris right of self determination. He said that he continues to support the implementation of the United Nations Resolutions."/CU OF HAND (3 SHOTS) 0.37 4. SLV OF MEHMOOD/CU OF HAND (2 SHOTS) 0.46 5. MCU (English) FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN-CONTROLLED KASHMIR, BARRISTER SULTAN MEHMOOD, SAYING: "Basically he said 'this is high time that India and Pakistan must have a talk'. And he said that (this) opportunity must not be missed which might not come again. And he believes, and I think very truly, that if India and Pakistan have dialogue now it will be in the interest of Pakistan." 1.09 (W1) CHAKOTHI, PAKISTAN-CONTROLLED KASHMIR (DECEMBER 21, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6. GV OF CHAKOTHI, NEAR THE LINE OF CONTROL (LOC) 1.12 7. LV OF CHAKOTHI 1.16 8. MCU (Urdu) AZIZUL HASAN, OWNER OF DRYCLEANING SHOP, SAYING: "This is a very good step by general Musharraf. Vajpayee should give a response and should also come up with a positive suggestion for peace." 1.26 9. SLV FRUIT AND VEGETABLE SHOP IN CHAKOTHI MARKET 1.31 10. SV MAN SELECTING FRUIT 1.35 11. MCU (English), FAROOQ MASOOD, LECTURER IN ENGLISH, SAYING: "This is a radical change. And now it means that Pakistan is sincere in its efforts and Pakistan wants to make this region peaceful." 1.47 12. LV PEOPLE IN CHAKOTHI MARKET 1.52 13. SLV/SV MAN POLISHING SHOES ON PAVEMENT OF MARKET (3 SHOTS) 2.05 14. MCU (Urdu) MAULVI AZIZ REHMAN, CLERIC, SAYING: " It looks like general Musharraf is ignoring the sacrifices of a hundred thousand Kashmiris, and is trying to retain his government. I believe that this is treason with the Kashmiri nation which has given sacrifices till now and is still giving sacrifices even today." 2.28 15. SV MAN SELLING DRY FRUIT 2.33 16. CLOSE OF DRY FRUIT SELLER 2.38 17. SV SHOPKEEPER HANGING SWEATERS OUTSIDE HIS SHOP 2.42 18. MCU (Hindko) MUSHTAQ AHMED, FARMER, SAYING: " General Musharraf is deviating from the United Nations Resolutions, and is announcing withdrawl from the Kashmir issue. The people should unite against him; speak out against him and start Movements against him." 2.57 19. LV OF CHAKOTHI 3.01 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 5th January 2004 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN / CHAKOTHI, PAKISTAN-CONTROLLED KASHMIR
- Country: Pakistan
- Reuters ID: LVA20NING8A6AA5VO2324E6SDJ0Z
- Story Text: Pakistan's President Musharraf says no change in
Kashmir policy
Pakistan and India need to settle their rivalry
over Kashmir in line with "the spirit" of decades-old U.N.
Security Council resolutions, Pakistani President Pervez
Musharraf said on Monday (December 22).
The U.N. resolutions passed in 1950s called for
Pakistan and India to withdraw their troops from the
disputed Himalayan region and for Kashmiris to decide in a
vote which country they want to join.
Musharraf had offered, in an interview with Reuters
last week, to set aside Islamabad's demand to implement
U.N. resolutions, drawing a mixture of relief and alarm
while some commentators accused him of being too generous
to India.
Musharraf met with politicians from Pakistani Kashmir
on Monday (December 22) and said peace could not be
maintained between Islamabad and New Delhi without the
settlement of long-running dispute over Kashmir.
" Basically, General Musharraf briefed us on the
current situation in Kashmir, and he has reiterated that
Pakistan will continue to support the Kashmiris right of
self determination. He said that he continues to support
the implementation of the United Nations Resolutions,"
Barrister Sultan Mehmood, former Prime Minister of Azad
Kashmir (Pakistan - controlled Kashmir) told Reuters
Television after the meeting.
Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed quoted
Musharraf as saying at the meeting that he wanted
settlem
ent of the issue in line with the spirit of the U.N.
Security Council agenda.
Mehmood said Musharraf has assured them that there was
no change in Pakistan's Kashmir policy.
" Basically he said 'this is high time that India and
Pakistan must have a talk'. And he said that (this)
opportunity must not be missed which might not come again,"
Mehmeood said, "And he (Musharraf) believes, and I think
very truly, that if India and Pakistan have dialogue now it
will be in the interest of Pakistan," he added.
Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said Pakistan
had offered to hold dialogue on Kashmir by setting aside
"some provisions" of the U.N. resolutions if India felt
there was difficulty in the implementation of some
provisions under the present circumstances.
But he rued that there had been no positive response
from India as yet to Pakistan's "major flexibility"
Meanwhile, people in Azad Kashmir have responded with
mixed feelings to Musharraf's offer to India.
Chakothi, near the Line of Control (LOC)- the ceasefire
line that divides the disputed Kashmir region between India
and Pakistan - has, for years, suffered many casualties
from the almost-daily crossfire between troops of the
hostile neighbours.
Musharraf's offer has given rise to heated arguments
among residents of this picturesque village.
" This is a very good step by general Musharraf.
Vajpayee should give a response and should also come up
with a positive suggestion for peace," said Azizul Hasan,
owner of drycleaning shop in the small Chakothi market
place.
" This is a radical change. And now it means that
Pakistan is sincere in its efforts and Pakistan wants to
make this region peaceful," said Farooq Masood, lecturer in
English in a local college.
But others are furious at what they feel is a
volte-face by Pakistan.
" It looks like general Musharraf, is ignoring the
sacrifices of a hundred thousand Kashmiris, and trying to
retain his government. I believe this is treason with the
Kashmiri nation which has given sacrifices till now, and is
still giving sacrifices even today," fumed Maulvi Aziz
Rehman, a local cleric.
" General Musharraf is deviating from the United
Nations Resolutions, and is announcing withdrawl from the
Kashmir issue. The people should unite against him; speak
out against him and start Movements against him," said an
irate Mushtaq Ahmed, a farmer.
Last week a close aide to Musharraf dismissed talk of
any U-turn in policy saying the president's offer was
consistent with his previous policy statements.
The two nuclear-armed neighbours have fought two of
their
three wars over the state.
Late on Friday (December 19), Indian Foreign Minister
Yashwant Sinha welcomed Musharraf's statement saying India
would be ready to accept any change in the Pakistan
position that a plebiscite in Kashmir was the only way out
of the Kashmir dispute.
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