'Historic opportunity to resolve Kashmir issue'

Havana, Sept 16: Likening the Kashmir issue to major conflicts like Lebanon, Palestine, Afghanistan and Iraq, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said his country desired to resolve all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir with India.

Stressing Pakistan's efforts to promote peace in South Asia, Gen Musharraf said three years of the peace process with India have led to confidence building and improved environment.

''A historic opportunity exists for resolving the long-standing dispute,'' he said in his address at the 14th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement here yesterday, emphasising ''this must be seized by the leadership of the two countries to bring to a close the chapter of tension and conflict in our region''.

Urging the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to focus on promoting just solutions to the major international conflicts, President Musharraf called for setting up a mechanism for conflict resolution, especially among NAM members, to enable the grouping play a more effective role on the international stage.

''In its pursuit for global peace, the NAM should focus on promoting just and equitable solution to the major international conflicts and disputes,'' he said, adding the essential need for the establishment of a mechanism for conflict resolution, especially among NAM members ''Internal discord continues to debilitate NAM's ability to play an effective role on the world stage,'' he added.

Noting that a major challenge facing the international community is to build international peace and security on the basis of equity and principle rather than use of force and intervention, he said that the recent aggression against Lebanon was ''illustrative of the recourse to the logic of force rather than a resort to international norms and principles of the UN Charter.'' President Musharraf said NAM's contribution was also essential in building a new international consensus on disarmament and non-proliferation.

''The NAM must reject discrimination and double standards. The NAM must uphold the principle of equal security for all states,'' he said, calling for renewed efforts to promote universal nuclear disarmament under verified international control.

In this context, he proposed to convene an international conference to evolve a new international consensus for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

President Musharraf also called for the NAM to promote a comprehensive strategy to combat and eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

UNI

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