30 October 2004	Saturday	15 Ramazan 1425

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NEW DELHI, Oct 29: Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon on Friday praised President Pervez Musharraf's moves to strengthen democracy, but lamented his attempt to retain the post of army chief.

"We welcome his roadmap for democracy and certain steps that he has taken to strengthen democratic institutions," McKinnon told reporters. "The Commonwealth Ministers did have high expectations about the issue of splitting the role of the President and the role of the chief of army" in Pakistan, Mr Mckinnon noted in New Delhi at the end of a four-nation regional visit including Pakistan.

"Therefore, what has been happening there (Pakistan) recently is below expectations. But we don't regard that fact as necessarily negating everything else that has been done," he added.

The Commonwealth secretary-general said last week in Islamabad that Pakistan's parliament and judiciary should solve a row over the president's efforts to remain army chief.

Mr McKinnon repeated in New Delhi that it was important that the dispute should be settled through parliament and the judiciary. Mr McKinnon held talks Thursday with Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh.

Mr Singh told Mr McKinnon that it was for the Commonwealth to decide whether Pakistan should be allowed to remain in the grouping if President Musharraf remained army chief.

Pakistan was readmitted to the Commonwealth in May this year. The Commonwealth secretary-general also praised the Maldives for launching steps towards democratic reform, but expressed concern over the continued custody of political detainees. "Clearly, everyone would like to see the issue behind them rather than in front of them," Mr McKinnon said. -AFP