ISLAMABAD, Feb 17: Former US president Bill Clinton said on Friday that printing of blasphemous cartoons was a mistake but that violent protests by Muslims have wasted a chance to build bridges with the West.

Mr Clinton, who was here on Friday to visit survivors of last year’s South Asian earthquake and launch an HIV/AIDS project, told reporters:

“I strongly disagree with the creation and publication of cartoons that are considered blasphemous by the Muslims around the world. I thought it was a mistake.”

“I had no objections to Muslims who were demonstrating in a peaceful way their convictions. “I thought it (the cartoons issue) was also a great opportunity which I fear has been squandered to build bridges,” he said, referring to violence across the Muslim world which has claimed 18 lives, including five in Pakistan.

Mr Clinton, who arrived in Pakistan early Friday for a day-long trip, held talks with President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

He signed an agreement under which the Clinton Foundation will help Pakistan with HIV/AIDS treatment, care and prevention.

Mr Musharraf thanked Mr Clinton for the HIV/AIDS programme and help extended after the October earthquake, while Mr Clinton praised Musharraf’s efforts to promote peace and stability in South Asia, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

“The two leaders exchanged views on a wide range of subjects. The President (Musharraf) underscored the importance that Pakistan attaches to a broad-based, long-term sustainable relationship with the United States,” the statement said.

The 7.6-magnitude quake killed nearly 74,000 people, injured as many and made an estimated 3.5 million people homeless.—AFP