OTTAWA, Sept 26: President Gen Pervez Musharraf currently visiting Canada said here on Friday that Pakistan could participate in a multilateral force in Iraq “but only under certain conditions.”

Speaking to the intellectuals and analysts at a meeting of Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies, he said: “We don’t want to go as an extension of (the US) occupation. If we are seen as an extension of occupation, we will not succeed.”

Mr Musharraf laid down four conditions under which he would send troops: when there is a request from the Iraqis, when he feels the troops would be welcome, when there are other Muslim troops participating in a multilateral force, and when there is a Security Council resolution authorizing such a force.

The President reiterated that vital Kashmir and Palestine issues be resolved with justice to help establish durable peace in the Middle East and South Asia.

He said Pakistan firmly believed that the Kashmir dispute should be resolved through dialogue. “We are sincerely hoping for the resumption of talks with India,” he said.

The president pointed out that first of all Kashmir should be accepted as a disputed territory and that had to be resolved peacefully.

He made it clear that his country was totally committed to the war against terrorism, and urged that the root causes of terrorism should be attacked.

“Pakistan is totally on board. Pakistan has done the most in the world to fight terrorism,” he said.

N-ASSETS SAFE: In reply to a question about nuclear assets, President Pervez Musharraf said that Pakistan’s strategic assets are in safe hands and there was no question of any nuclear proliferation, PPI adds.