Karachi, Oct 11: Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will meet his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of next week's summit of Islamic nations, Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri said today. "I had a detailed talk with the Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and both of US agreed that President (Vladimir) Putin and President Musharraf would meet in Kuala Lumpur" Kasuri told a briefing before his departure to attend the summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Putin has been invited by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to the October 16-17 summit.
"This meeting is not part of an international effort to challenge the united states' unilateralism but the two leaders would mainly discuss the Iraq situation and its solution," Kasuri said. President Musharraf is set to spearhead a campaign to introduce "enlightened moderation" to the Muslim world -- an idea that is to be main theme in his address at the summit.


"President Musharraf would also highlight the difference between the so-called theory of clash of civilisations ... And pragmatic approach articulated by the President that envisaged a cooperation among civilisations," Kasuri said.


Musharraf is leaving for the Malaysian capital on Wednesday to attend the summit.


Bureau Report