Musharraf for substantive talks with Manmohan Singh

Islamabad, Sep 11 (UNI) Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf today said he looked forward to making his talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ''substantive'' when they meet on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Cuba's capital Havana by end of this week.

Talking to reporters prior to his departure for a tour to Belgium, Cuba and the United States, the President said his talks with the Indian Prime Minister carried much importance.

''I hope and will make an effort to make the talks substantive, so that these are result oriented,'' he said.

The President who reaches Brussels on the first leg of his visit, will address at the Global Discourse on Kashmir, organised by the All Party Group for Kashmir in the European Parliament.

Gen Musharraf said he would have a ''very substantive interaction'' as there was active support over the issue of Kashmir.

He said the European Union was an emerging power and the visit will give him an opportunity to interact. He will also address the Foreign Relations Committee of the European Parliament.

''We will apprise them of the realities about Pakistan, its focus on counter terrorism, extremism and also address their concerns about democracy, human rights and tell them the facts,'' the President said.

Gen Musharraf said Pakistan will discuss the significance of the issues related to NAM, specially the those related to the third world and measures to watch their common interests.

About his address to the United Nations General Assembly, the President said he will elaborate on the strategic issues confronting the global community and suggest ways to deal with them.

''I will talk frankly and strongly, what I think of critical world issues,'' he added.

When asked whether he will be floating any fresh ideas at the UN General Assembly, he said he believed in bringing out strategies to deal with world issues, including those related to terrorism and extremism.

He said there was a need for an overall strategy and an implementation mechanism to address the issues.

''Unfortunately, we are involved in tactics of implementation, with less focus on strategy, the end-objective and the way to achieve it,'' he added.

President Musharraf said his meeting with US President George Bush will focus on bilateral issues. He has also been invited by President Bush to an 'Iftar' at the White House, along with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan.

''We have already resolved our misunderstandings with Afghanistan during the recent visit to the neighbouring country.'' ''But we may consolidate that further, while we meet again with President Bush, so that in the future we have a concerted strategy and we trust each other in our fight against terrorism and extremism,'' he said.

UNI XC PR AT BD1750