Bush tells Musharraf: Anti-terror, but not nuclear, collaboration
The US president today wound up his visit to Pakistan: much remains to be done to defeat Al-Qaeda, but there was optimism about Kashmir. There is no opposition to an Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline, but a nuclear deal like that signed between Washington and New Delhi was ruled out.
Islamabad (AsiaNews/Agencies) US President, George W. Bush, today praised the "courageous decision" of his Pakistani counterpart, Pervez Musharraf, to join in the "war on terror" after 11 September 2001. Bush, who wound up his visit to Pakistan today, emphasized a "strategic partnership" with the country, but he ruled out the possibility of reaching a nuclear cooperation deal similar to that signed with New Delhi two days ago. India was the second leg of the Asia tour of Bush, after a surprise visit to Afghanistan.
Security measures were tight in Islamabad, with military helicopters circling over the centre and anti-riot police squads stationed at all the crossroads and on rooftops. Private and commercial flights were banned from the airspace of the capital. The Pakistani authorities also gave the green light for a series of arrest and precautionary measures against opponents, to prevent their participation in anti-American protests called by the country's Islamic parties.
After a private meeting with Musharraf, the US president said he understood the reasons prompting Pakistan to search for new energy sources for its growing economy, and he gave assurance that he had nothing against the project to construct an Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. Islamabad, New Delhi and Tehran are close to reaching agreement about the gas pipeline, which will be 2,600km long and cost seven billion dollars. Official US sources have however warned that Washington will not reach nuclear agreements with Pakistan on the same lines of accords made with India. Bush explained this simply by saying: "Pakistan and India are different countries with different needs and histories."
On terrorism, Bush cautioned that "much remains to be done to defeat Al-Qaeda" and insisted on more sharing "in real time" of "reliable" intelligence data to identify terrorists.
For his part, Musharraf said he had reached "the basis for strong and lasting collaboration between the US and Pakistan" with Bush, on matters including "defence, cooperation against terrorism and resolution of all disputes including Kashmir."
As regards Kashmir, the American president said "things are changing at last". Musharraf said he had asked Bush "to continue helping us make all the necessary steps to reach peace".
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