Pakistani President Gen Pervez Musharraf today said the "bedrock"of his talks with India would be the "aspirations" of the people ofKashmir as no solution to the Kashmir problem was possible without it.
"The issue of Kashmir is not just an issue of territory but also aserious question of their (Kashmiris) right to self-determination and otherfundamental human rights," he said at a meeting with leaders ofPakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as well as Kashmiri leaders from abroad.
Twenty leaders of the PoK government and political parties attended thethree-hour meeting convened by Musharraf to discuss his forthcoming summit withPrime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Musharraf said the bedrock of his talks with Indian leadership during hisJuly 14-16 visit would be aspirations of the people of Kashmir.
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PoK Prime Minister Sultan Mehmood Chowdhary said after the meeting, "PoKleaders have extended full backing to Musharraf for his India visit.
"There was also general consensus that Musharraf would forcefullyrepresent the views of the Kashmiris at the summit," he said.
Those who met Musharraf included leaders of Pakistan chapter of HurriyatConference and Farida Behanji, one of the Kashmiri leaders from Srinagar who iscurrently on a tour to Pakistan.
During the meeting, Musharraf said Pakistanis and Kashmiris are one as far asstruggle for the right to self-determination of the latter was concerned,official media reported.
"Kashmiri people should never feel that they are alone in thestruggle," Musharraf was quoted as saying.
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Former president and prime minister of PoK and leader of PoK's MuslimConference Sardar Qayyum, said he told Musharraf his visit to India should beseen as a golden opportunity to resolve the Kashmir problem.
He said a breakthrough could be expected as two governments were in goodposition to solve the problem. But if the summit ends up in failure it would bea 'political suicide'.
PTI
