WASHINGTON, Feb 25: US President George W. Bush has said that he plans to urge President Pervez Musharraf to dismantle terrorist facilities when he meets him in Islamabad next week.
“On my trip to Pakistan, I will, of course, talk about terrorist activities, the need to dismantle terrorist training camps, and to protect innocent life,” said Mr Bush in an interview to India’s Doordarshan TV on Friday. “One of the real dangers of the terrorist movement is that they’ll kill innocent people to achieve an objective,” he said.
“And India and President Musharraf, as well as our country, care deeply about innocent life. We respect human life.”
Mr Bush made these comments when asked whether he would ask President Musharraf to dismantle alleged terrorist camps in Azad Kashmir in his meeting with the Pakistani leader.
“The war on terror is universal, and it’s very important for all of us to work together to stop the advance ….. of these terrorists. And you bring up Pakistan — it’s an interesting moment in our relationships with each other,” he said.
“President Musharraf understands that it’s important for me to have a good relationship with India, and vice versa. Prime Minister (Manmohan) Singh understands. And we do have a good relationship with both.”
Meanwhile, a senior Bush aide, while briefing journalists on the president’s visit to South Asia next week, said that the ‘violence against blasphemous cartoons in Pakistan has subsided.’
Asked if the ongoing protests in Pakistan against the cartoons published by some European newspapers could affect Mr Bush’s Islamabad visit, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said: “The demonstrations and the violence ….. have subsided. I think it’s very clear that he wants to go, and that his Pakistani hosts want him to come, and therefore, we’re going.”
President Bush’s other engagements in Islamabad include roundtable discussion with leaders in Pakistan’s public and private sectors.
