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Bush offers to bring India, Pakistan together

V S Chandrasekar in New York

In yet another expression of America's new found love for Pakistan, United States President George W Bush offered to bring India and Pakistan together to have 'good and meaningful' talks on Kashmir taking into account the 'wishes of the people' of the state, even as he announced one billion dollars in US aid as an additional reward to Pakistan.

Detested only months ago by the western democracies, Pakistan's military ruler General Pervez Musharraf continued to bask under the lavish praise being heaped on him after joining the America-led war against Afghanistan with Bush calling him a 'strong leader' and Islamabad a 'strong ally' after the two leaders met on Saturday night over dinner.

The meeting came a day after summit talks between Bush and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the White House in Washington on Friday.

With Musharraf standing by his side, Bush told reporters: "We had a very good discussion on this subject (Kashmir), and I assured the Pakistan President that my country will do what we can to bring parties (India and Pakistan) together to have good, meaningful discussion on Kashmir so that we can come up with a solution."

A joint statement on the first Bush-Musharraf talks issued shortly thereafter said: "India and Pakistan should resolve the Kashmir issue through diplomacy and take into account the wishes of the people of Kashmir."

There was no immediate reaction to the US-Pak joint statement from the Indian side.

Bush and Musharraf agreed that peace and stability in Afghanistan can be achieved through the institution of a broad-based, multi-ethnic, representative government, established through consensus among Afghans, and evolved under the auspices of the UN.

They also acknowledged that Afghanistan should enjoy friendly relations with all its neighbours and be a link between central and south Asia, and free from the scourge of terrorism and drugs.

Bush recognised Pakistan's role as a frontline state in the global campaign against terrorism and expressed gratitude for its vital support in the international campaign.

PTI

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