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Musharraf would like to trust Vajpayee

Pakistan's military ruler General Pervez Musharraf says he has no inhibitions in saluting Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee if he comes to Pakistan and describes the Indian leader as a person whom he would like to "trust".

"I have no inhibitions in saluting Vajpayee, he is elder to me. If he comes now I will salute him again, I will shake hands with him," Musharraf told Asian Age editor-in-chief M J Akbar refuting reports that he had declined to shake hands with Vajpayee during his visit to Lahore in February 1999.

Asked if he "trusted" Vajpayee, he said "I would like to trust him because to me he looks as a person who would like to resolve that (Kashmir) dispute."

Recalling a statement by Vajpayee earlier this year that included the prime minister's views on Kashmir, Musharraf said Vajpayee's body language and his statement "seem that he really wants to move ahead. I would like to move ahead. I can certainly... I think I can certainly."

The Pakistani military ruler, however, said he did not not trust the BJP. "I do not have that kind of trust (in people around Vajpayee)", he said.

Meanwhile, Musharraf termed India's demand to rein in Pakistan-based militant groups as "baseless" but said he was hopeful of resumption of talks to resolve the Kashmir issue.

"The conditions that they (India) are laying down regarding what they expect us to be doing ... are baseless. I can also lay down five conditions for them. I have conveyed to them that let us not talk of conditions," he said in an interview to Pakistani magazine, Herald.

India has consistently maintained that Pakistan should control infiltration of militant outfits into Kashmir before commencement of talks.

Expressing hope that the two sides would resume talks, he said "We are trying our best and I feel that it may start."

He alleged that talks failed to take place "because they (India) are not sincere about it. We have done whatever we can and they have to show sincerity. The ball is their court. We are waiting.

"We have taken a number of initiatives and have played our cards well," he claimed.

Asked whether he has any "practical and workable" solution in mind to resolve the Kashmir issue, he said "I think there are a number of solutions. There are solutions which can only be addressed after dialogue starts."

He said the Pakistani leadership was prepared to go for talks with India with an open mind. "One would like to go into the dialogue with an open mind as long as we are clear the solution ought to be in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir and suit Pakistan and India."

PTI

The Kashmir Cease-Fire: The Complete Coverage

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