ISLAMABAD, June 9: President General Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday called for sincerity, flexibility and boldness to find a 'viable, genuine and lasting' settlement of the Kashmir dispute.

Addressing the concluding session of a seminar on prospects of peace, stability and prosperity in South Asia, the president said that the "present time is ideal for resolution of all Pakistan-India issues".

He said military confrontation did not constitute a viable solution to political disputes. The two countries, he stressed, had to show maturity to be able to resolve disputes bilaterally, 'within a reasonable timeline'.

Gen Musharraf said a genuine settlement of the Kashmir issue could only come about if all parties showed sincerity and address it in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

"The issue of Kashmir is at centre-stage, we cannot deny it. It must be resolved in an equitable and honourable manner, acceptable to India, Pakistan and Kashmiris. "Leaders on both sides have to be sincere, to develop confidence, and trust in each other.

They have to be flexible enough to reach mutually acceptable solutions to previously intractable dispute and bold enough to bulldoze all opposition and risks en route to peace."

The president said that India would find Pakistan sincere and responsive if it desired genuine improvement in relations. He emphasized that the progress on confidence-building measures could not be de-linked from the progress on dialogue on all issues.

"Both have to progress together." The CBMs, he said, must not be considered a substitute for tackling the complicated issues between the two countries. The president did not agree with the proposition that the final settlement of the Kashmir dispute would take a long time.

"It would take long time if we lack sincerity. If we are prepared to meet and deal with the problems with sincerity it will not take much time." He said that the objectives of peace, security and economic development could be realized only if the process of composite dialogue was taken to fruition.

He said Pakistan hoped that its engagement with India on nuclear CBMs would be productive. "We must work towards building mutual confidence to avert the remotest chances of a nuclear conflict. "Concept of even a limited conventional war in a nuclearized South Asia is also untenable", he said. -APP