DAVOS, Jan 22: President Pervez Musharraf shook hands and conversed warmly with former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres here on Thursday. The two met apparently by chance in public outside a VIP lounge at the annual World Economic Forum.

Pakistani officials looked on nervously as Gen Musharraf smiled, had a prolonged handshake and spoke for about two minutes with Mr Peres, who shared the Nobel Peace Prize for a 1993 Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement that has since fallen apart. "We all look to your leadership," the veteran Israeli politician, now leader of the opposition Labour party, told the president.

NATO CHIEF: President Musharraf and NATO Secretary-General Jaap De Hoop Scheffer discussed the situation in Afghanistan at a meeting here on Thursday. They discussed reconstruction and rehabilitation process in Afghanistan and expressed satisfaction over progress and political stabilization there.