Putrajaya (Malaysia), Oct 16: Russian President Vladimir Putin today told Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf that India and Pakistan should "mutually resolve" all the outstanding problems, including Kashmir. Putin, who attended the OIC summit here as a guest, had met Musharraf on the sidelines of the 57-nation meeting. Even as he reaffirmed Moscow's interest in the development of a political dialogue between India and Pakistan, Putin made it clear to Musharraf that "it was first of All India and Pakistan, who should be willing to mutually resolve all the outstanding problems in their relations". "We also talked about the problem of Kashmir, I have something on this theme to convey to my Indian colleague also. Russia always played a positive role in the development relations between India and Pakistan and will continue to play similar positive role," Putin was quoted as saying by the Itar-Tass news agency.

During his Moscow meeting with Musharraf in February Putin, had declined to mediate between Islamabad and new Delhi.
Bureau Report