Pakistan President PervezMusharraf has said he would try to evolve a "time bound" framework toresolve the Kashmir issue during the Indo-Pak summit and asserted that theproblem could even be resolved in "months" if the two countries are"sincere and open minded."
In his interaction with somePakistan-based foreign journalists as also leaders of Pakistan-occupied Kashmiryesterday, Musharraf said he would be flexible and have an open mind in hismeeting with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee next month.
Declining to divulge the proposals he would make during the summit, he,however, warned that there would be "no progress if the two sides stick totheir stated positions too rigidly," media reports said.
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But if both are sincere and open minded the Kashmir issue could be resolved"may be in months," he was quoted as saying.
Musharraf insisted that he would not allow the summit to be frittered away on"minor irritants" and said all other problems could be fixed easilyonce the Kashmir issue is resolved.
"I am hopeful we will not beat around the bush. I will be reallydisappointed if we follow the hackneyed path of past bilateral meetings thathave bogged down on the Kashmir issue," he said.
At his meeting with PoK leaders on the upcoming summit, he said during histalks with Vajpayee "I would call for a certain framework for theresolution of Kashmir problem".
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Briefing the local media on the meeting, Kashmiri Affairs Minister AbbasSarfaraz Khan said previously there was no framework for talks, nor timetablefor the resolution of the Kashmir problem. But now efforts would be made byMusharraf to have some time bound framework to resolve this issue.
Musharraf told the leaders that he would urge the "Indian leadershipthat dialogue must continue under certain framework".
Khan said all issues, including Siachen, could also come up for discussionduring the summit, the daily 'Dawn' reported.
"The President said he himself believes that there cannot be any instantsolution for all the problems and that he is going to India with an open mindand with an effort to create a conducive environment for future talks,"Khan said.
English daily 'The News' quoting official sources reported that close defencecoopration between Pakistan and China is likely to be among the issues thatwould figure at the summit.
It said India might seek details from Pakistan on the multi-million dollarChina's investment and its involvement in the southern Gwadar port developmentproject.
Besides Kashmir, other issues likely to be come up were bilateral trade,transit facilities for India for access to the Central Asian States andIran-India gas pipeline, the daily said.
