ABU DHABI, Jan 24: President Gen Pervez Musharraf and United Arab Emirates President Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Wednesday held discussions on the situation in the Middle East and called for collective efforts to resolve the Palestine issue.

The president shared his deep concern over the situation in the Middle East and said collective efforts by Muslim countries were needed for an early resolution of the Palestine dispute.

President Musharraf urged unity among the Ummah to resolve the Palestine issue. He apprised the UAE President of the ongoing composite dialogue process between Pakistan and India and efforts for the resolution of the Kashmir issue.

President Musharraf said that in his talks with other leaders of the Muslim world there was an agreement on the need for urgent fresh efforts involving Arab and influential Muslim countries for peace and conflict resolution in the Middle East.

The UAE president appreciated Pakistan's initiative for the settlement of the Kashmir dispute.He stressed the need for Ummah's unity and cohesion to resolve the Middle East crisis.

President Musharraf flew into Abu Dhabi to discuss the deteriorating situation in the Middle East, particularly the issue of Palestine, following talks with King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, King Abdullah II of Jordan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.—APP