June 29, 2003	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 28,1424

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LOS ANGELES, June 28: President Pervez Musharraf has asserted that Pakistan is maintaining “absolutely” no conventional or non- conventional relationship with North Korea and is ready to enter into an open dialogue with India.

“North Korea is a closed chapter. We now have no conventional or non-conventional relationship with North Korea ... Our nuclear weapons are in very safe custodial hands,” Gen Musharraf said while speaking at a dinner meeting of Los Angeles World Affairs Council here on Friday during his current US tour.

On India-Pakistan ties, President Musharraf said he was happy at the recent overtures of peace and conciliation by India, but underlined the need for a solution of Kashmir. “We cannot live in harmony until India ends its stubborn attitude over Kashmir,” he said.

The president said the time had come when the US should get directly involved in resolving Indo-Pakistan issues. He hoped the effort would result in a long-lasting peace.

Gen Musharraf gave a four-point programme to achieve peace. First, there should be an open dialogue, second, India must accept the reality of the Kashmir problem, third, both the parties should iron out unnecessary and unacceptable details, and, fourth, there should be a “win, win” solution.

“I don’t see any country will offer such flexibility... Let there be a solution for the sake of the poor people of the two countries,” he said.

While speaking on Afghanistan President Musharraf was quite forceful in supporting the role and importance of both the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF) and US forces in Afghanistan, saying both were needed to be maintained in Afghanistan.

“When people ask for how long, I say it should not be time-related but effect related,” he said, adding that if the forces could bring peace in six months, they should stay for six months, or if not then they could stay for six years.

Gen Musharraf also criticized the US role in the war against terrorism pitting the west against Islam, saying both the Muslims view that the US was attacking Islam and the US view that Islam was a religion that preaches terrorism were wrong. He appealed to Muslim leaders to consider whether to become forward-looking, approaching self-emancipation and alleviating poverty, or become gun-toting, terrorists. “I will raise this issue at the OIC meeting in Kuala Lumpur in October,” he said.

Earlier, he chaired a close-door meeting with key Silicon Valley executives. The meeting was attended by 30-35 senior executives.

APP adds: President Musharraf has urged the world to take notice of the gross human rights violations and killings by Indian forces in the occupied Kashmir, stressing the need for allowing independent organizations into the Valley to observe the situation, adding that Kashmiris face worst forms of repression.

He said if India takes one step, Pakistan will be ready to take three steps towards achieving peace.