January 4, 2002	Friday	Shawwal 19, 1422

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BEIJING, Jan 3: President Pervez Musharraf told China on Thursday he was willing to work to ease tensions with nuclear rival India through dialogue, amid concern their crisis could boil over and upset global stability.

“Pakistan hopes for peace, opposes war, and is willing to work to ease the current tensions through dialogue,” Xinhua news agency quoted President Musharraf as telling Prime Minister Zhu Rongji at a meeting in Beijing on Thursday evening.

But Musharraf also told Zhu Rongji that the Pakistan government would act according to its sovereign and people’s interests, and at the same time was taking necessary measures to fight terrorism and restrict radical forces, Xinhua said.

The Chinese prime minister praised Pakistan’s insistence on pursuing dialogue and peace under tense circumstances, but called on both sides to exercise the utmost restraint to preserve peace in the region.

“It is in the interests of both countries and the expectation of the international community for both Pakistan and India to maintain the utmost restraint, and safeguard the peace and stability of South Asia,” Zhu Rongji was quoted as saying.

THREAT TO ASIAN STABILITY: Musharraf was in Beijing for an overnight visit en route to the seven-nation Saarc summit from Jan 4-6.

The United States and China called on Thursday for the rivals to use diplomacy to prevent their crisis escalating.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair warned in Dhaka that the mounting tensions could boil over and create “enormous problems” for global stability.

And ahead of Musharraf’s arrival, Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan warned that war between India and Pakistan would be destabilising for all of Asia.

“If the situation gets out of control and results in large scale armed conflict, not only would India and Pakistan both suffer, it would also influence the peace process in Afghanistan and endanger the stability and development of South Asia and even all of Asia,” Xinhua quoted Tang as telling US Secretary of State Colin Powell in a telephonic conversation.

GAUGING SUPPORT: Diplomats here expected President Musharraf to reassure China’s leaders of his commitment to peacefully resolving the crisis, but said the Pakistani leader may be gauging Beijing’s support in case the stand-off deteriorated into war.

Beijing has been pursuing a more balanced approach towards South Asia, particularly in relations with India, with which it fought a brief border war in 1962, analysts said.

Zhu Rongji is scheduled to visit India early this year.

Analysts stressed that Sino-Pakistan ties remained close. Musharraf last month hailed relations with China as the cornerstone of Pakistan foreign policy and is keen to foster its friendship with Beijing, a key supplier of arms and economic assistance.—Reuters

APP ADDS: Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji said that China appreciated the sense of utmost restraint exercised by Pakistan in the wake of amassing of troops on the border by India.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting Maj-Gen Rashid Qureshi, Director General ISPR, said that China felt concerned and entertained apprehensions over the prevailing “volatile situation” that had arisen due to amassing of troops by India close to the Pakistani border.

Appreciating the restraint exercised by Pakistan, Mr Rongji said: “The whole world has seen with appreciation the farsighted and statesmanship-like policies pursued by the Pakistan government.”

Gen Rashid said that Zhu Rongji stated that China considered Pakistan as “a very reliable and close friend” and declared that “China would always stand by Pakistan, at all times.”

The meeting between the two leaders lasted well over an hour. On Friday, the President is scheduled to leave here for Chengdu by a special PIA flight, and from where he will depart for Kathmandu by a regular Chinese flight.