Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf asked China to use its influence in finding a solution to the Kashmir issue but Beijing said the best way was for India and Pakistan themselves to resolve the problem through peaceful bilateral negotiations.
Addressing a select gathering of newspaper editors, scholars and policy makers at a breakfast meeting in Beijing, Musharraf said he had requested Chinese President Jiang Zemin at their summit talks to use his influence for settling the Kashmir issue. Musharraf said there is a high degree of tension between the two nuclear states - India and Pakistan- after the recent attack on the Indian Parliament and warned this would further escalate if the root cause of the problem was not addressed properly.
A Chinese foreign ministry official Sun Guoxiang told reporters after the Jiang-Musharraf meeting that the Chinese President wanted to see direct talks between Islamabad and New Delhi and stressed China's desire to see a peaceful settlement. The best way to solve the issue (Kashmir) is for the two sides to discuss the issue themselves, He said when asked if China would offer to play the role of a mediator.
Bureau Report