ISLAMABAD, July 26: President General Pervez Musharraf and US Secretary of State Colin Powell talked over the weekend and discussed bilateral relations, the latest developments in the region , particularly in the context of Pakistan-India peace process, Saarc, Iraq, Afghanistan and the war on terrorism, it is reliably learnt.
Secretary Powell telephoned President Musharraf on Saturday evening, a day after the president held 90-minute talks with the Indian external affairs minister at his Camp office in Rawalpindi, informed sources told Dawn on Monday.
The telephonic contact was termed by officials here as part of Secretary Powell's "periodic calls" to President Musharraf to exchange views on pressing matters. The president briefed the secretary on the July 20-21 Saarc foreign ministers meeting in Islamabad as well as the bilateral meetings between Pakistan and India that took place on its sidelines, sources said.
The normalization process between the two countries, particularly the progress on the composite dialogue process, also figured in their conversation. According to the sources, the president underlined Pakistan's commitment to engage India in a meaningful and result-oriented dialogue to address all outstanding issues, including the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir.
Secretary Powell held out the assurance that the US would remain engaged in the region to promote better understanding between India and Pakistan. It is learnt that the president also conveyed to the secretary his displeasure over his (Powell's) deputy Richard Armitage's recent remarks in Delhi regarding across the LoC infiltration, which he reiterated during his visit to Islamabad on July 15.
Mr Armitage claimed that Pakistan had not dismantled all the terrorist camps. On Iraq, President Musharraf and Secretary Powell focused particularly on the new interim government and the recent appointment of Pakistan's senior diplomat Ashraf Jehangir Qazi as the UN secretary-general's special representative to Iraq.
While the US secretary acknowledged Mr Ashraf Qazi's appointment as a major achievement for Pakistan, the president raised concerns regarding the deteriorating security situation in Iraq.
On the key question of troop contribution for a multinational force for the protection of the planned UN mission in Iraq, President Musharraf made no commitment but merely reiterated his government's stated position, the sources said.
The forthcoming presidential elections in Afghanistan and the memorandum of understanding signed between Pakistan and Afghanistan for registration of the Afghan refugees also came under discussion, it is believed.
President Musharraf assured Mr Powell of Pakistan's commitment to fulfil all its obligations to the international community in the fight against terrorism. Mr Powell in turn appreciated the significant contribution made by Pakistan on this front, the sources said. Mr Powell also expressed satisfaction over the close and co-operative relations between Pakistan and the United States.
