SHANGHAI, June 14: President General Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday called for a strong UN system, resolution of existing conflicts, like the ones in Palestine and Kashmir, and sustained efforts against terrorism and extremism to ensure global peace.

Delivering a key-note address on ‘Pak-China Partnership for Peace and Development’ at the Shanghai Institute of International Studies, the president also stressed the need for cultural tolerance and promotion of an equitable economic order to maximise the benefits offered by globalisation.

President Musharraf is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) summit.

In his hour-long speech, President Musharraf said: “The world remains insecure with the new threat of terrorism. New conflicts have afflicted Iraq and Afghanistan while old problems of Palestine and Kashmir continue to fester,” the president said.

He also pointed out that continuing inequities between and within regions and inter-state strife and implosions had caused enormous human suffering.

Stressing the need for confronting challenges and seizing opportunities presented by globalisation, the president called for a clear vision and determination and urged focus on key areas to ensure a better, peaceful and prosperous future.

President Musharraf called for promoting a strong UN system “based on Charter principles that must discourage unilateralism and encourage collective approach to prevent and redress new crises and conflicts”.

Resort to diplomatic and political approach remains the most rational option for promotion of world peace, he added.

He underscored resolution of existing conflicts and disputes as one of the key areas for the world to focus on for a peaceful future. “We desire to see a just resolution of the Palestinian issue,” he added.

Pakistan, he said, was committed to find a peaceful solution of the long-standing Kashmir dispute.

He said the peace process with India was going on a dual track of confidence-building measures (CBMs) and conflict resolution.

However, he added, that while the two countries were going strongly on the CBMS, the conflict resolution side need to be emphasised.

Unless the conflicts, which were at the core of acrimony between Pakistan and India, were resolved “we cannot ensure or guarantee permanent peace in the region”.

President Musharraf called for concerted international action to bring conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan to an end and said: “We see no alternative to a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear issue or the six-party talks on North Korea.”

He underlined the need of tolerance and understanding among cultures and peoples. “We need to reject the false and dangerous notion of clash between cultures and civilizations, in particular between Islam and the West. These are dangerous ideas that only breed prejudice and hatred,” he said.

President Musharraf said that Pakistan was planning to build refining facilities at the Gwadar port that had been constructed with the help of China. The port, he said, could become an important alternative energy and trans-shipment port.

The country was also developing infrastructure to link Gwadar and other ports of Pakistan with Central Asia.

President Musharraf said Pakistan was seeking a full membership of the SCO, adding that the country’s association with other regional organisations like SCO, Saarc and ECO provided the country a unique position to facilitate inter-regional cooperation. — APP