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| 29 May 2004 | Saturday | 09 Rabi-us-Saani 1425 |
Extremists may impede peace process: Musharraf
ISLAMABAD, May 28: President Pervez Musharraf has warned that extremists in Pakistan and India may try to block a settlement of bilateral disputes and the two countries will have to show boldness for peace in the region.
In a television interview broadcast on Friday, he said he saw no problem in dealing with the new Congress-led government in India which had promised to push further the peace process initiated by the previous government of Atal Behari Vajpayee.
"I am sure there won't be any problem in the peace dialogue," he said, adding that Mr Vajpayee's successor, Manmohan Singh, and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi were "extremely positive" towards the peace process when he spoke to them at the weekend.
But he said the extremists might create hurdles if a compromise was reached through a mutual give-and-take approach over the simmering dispute over Kashmir. "When you try to compromise through give-and-take, you are going to have extremists against you.
That is where boldness and courage is required. Both sides should show that," he said. He said he and Mr Vajpayee had reached an agreement on the need to resolve all issues including Kashmir to create peace.
"We need to sit down and start talking what is the solution." He also insisted on involving Kashmiri leaders in peace talks. "We must involve Kashmiris in this process. We can't reach decisions over the head of Kashmiris." -AFP
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