Musharraf due today in Washington

Published December 3, 2004

WASHINGTON, Dec 2: The war on terror, Indo-Pakistani peace process and bilateral relations will be top on their agenda when US President George W. Bush and President Pervez Musharraf meet at the White House on Saturday.

Gen Musharraf is expected in the US capital on Friday for an overnight stay on his way to Europe as part of a five-nation tour including Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, France and Britain. The sixth, the United States, was added on Mr Musharraf's request.

Confirming the Bush-Musharraf meeting, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said: "This will be an opportunity for the two presidents to continue discussing the war on terrorism and their long-term vision for US-Pakistan relations."

Although the announcement gave no further details of the meeting, several subjects have dominated political discussions in Washington since last week when Pakistan announced that Gen Musharraf is scheduled to meet Mr Bush on Dec 4.

The most prominent was the nuclear dispute involving Iran and Pakistan was inadvertently dragged into the discussion every time the Iranian nuclear program was discussed because of an alleged link between Tehran and the A.Q. Khan network.

The US media also pointed out that the Bush-Musharraf meeting follows moves in Islamabad for reconciliation between the government and the country's main opposition groups.

Meanwhile, the White House has indicated that the talks between the two presidents will also focus on recent measures for improving relations between South Asia's two nuclear neighbours.

Mr McClellan said the United States was also working with these two countries to 'wage and win a global war on terrorism'. In the 21st century, he said, the world faced many common security challenges and can work together to enhance security for all countries of the world.

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