NEW DELHI, April 16: President General Pervez Musharraf said on Saturday he was hopeful of holding purposeful talks with the Indian leadership on all outstanding issues between India and Pakistan, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

In an arrival statement here, the president said the composite dialogue as well as people-to-people contacts in the last 15 months had created a huge constituency of goodwill in both countries and led to an improved political environment.

“We need to seize this unique opportunity to address all our bilateral issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute,” he said.

Gen Musharraf expressed the hope that his meetings with the Indian leadership over the next two days would help strengthen and invigorate the peace process to fulfil the ‘historic responsibility’ of both countries to settle disputes and build a better future for the coming generations.

“I am glad that my visit to India has commenced with prayers at the dargah of one of the most revered Sufi saints, Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (RA).

“I am pleased to be in New Delhi. I look forward to an interesting Pakistan-India cricket encounter in the last ODI of cricket series in New Delhi.

“At the same time, I expect to hold purposeful talks with the Indian leadership on all outstanding issues between India and Pakistan, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute which has caused tension in our bilateral relations since 1947,” the president said.

The president, who is accompanied by First Lady Begum Sehba Musharraf, was accorded a warm red-carpet welcome here at the Air Force Station.

He was received by External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Aziz Ahmad Khan and Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Shiv Shankar Menon.

CHANCES OF OPTIMISIM: Earlier, talking to reporters at the Chaklala airbase near Islamabad, the president said he saw ‘more chances of optimism’ during his visit to India which he declared ‘very historic’.

“I think it is a very historic visit after Agra,” he said.

“It has more chances of optimism because the environment, when you compare Agra with today, is very different.

“It is a congenial environment; it is a friendly environment and the desire from both sides (is) to make it a success,” he said.

Gen Musharraf said that Kashmiri Muslim leaders, some of whom he would meet in New Delhi on Sunday, should be included in the peace process.

“It is extremely important that I meet them because we have to decide on their future. Therefore, their involvement is extremely important.—AFP