President General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday reaffirmed Pakistan's moral, political and diplomatic support to the occupied Kashmir cause and called for flexibility by all the sides to find an acceptable solution of the dispute.
Addressing a joint sitting of the Azad Jammu Kashmir Legislative Assembly and the AJK Council here on the Solidarity Day, President Musharraf said, confidence building measures (CBMs) alone could not help Pakistan, India and the Kashmiris in reaching a solution.
"We will have to leave our stated positions, both (Pakistan and India) will have to show flexibility...only than we can reach a solution."
He, however, clearly said, "There cannot be any unilateral flexibility," and urged India to show the same.
"If we stick to our stated positions we will not move forward."
He said, "If the dialogue process continues and it includes the occupied Kashmir cause and there is a move towards seeking a solution then we have to show some flexibility, to move forward."
The president said, "There is a connectivity, a linkage, a simultaneity between the confidence building measures and the dialogue process... It is not possible to have the CBM's without taking up the occupied Kashmir cause. I have told the world leaders clearly that these have to be together and if not, then we will go back to square one."
President Musharraf said for the first time important developments were on the cards on the occupied Kashmir issue and referred to the joint statement following his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on the sidelines of the Saarc Summit.
He said for the first time it was put in writing that occupied Kashmir is a dispute, which needs to be settled and there was a need to have a composite dialogue on all the issues, including occupied Kashmir.
He said the joint statement also mentioned that Pakistan would not let its territory be used for any terrorist activity. This, he said, was a longstanding stand by Pakistan and has often been reiterated.
He said, "There has been no change in our stand." Pakistan, he said, clearly understands the difference between a freedom struggle and terrorism.
"We are very clear of the distinction... and a freedom struggle is not terrorism, this should be clear to all."
He said there was an allegation that he has left behind the United Nations Security Council Resolutions. The president said his statement should not be taken out of context. "I can't throw it in the dustbin, how can I dump it?" He asked.
The president strongly refuted the allegations by some "opportunist elements" of a sell out on occupied Kashmir.
"These elements neither are able to achieve some good or let others do something productive," he said.
President Musharraf said, "We have to take occupied Kashmir towards a solution."
"There are two vital national interests of Pakistan, the occupied Kashmir cause and Pakistan's nuclear missile power, any one who sells out on either of these is a traitor."
President Musharraf called for a step-by-step approach towards seeking a solution on occupied Kashmir. He said the first two steps - to initiate talk process and to recognise occupied Kashmir as a dispute - have been accomplished.
The next two steps, he said, were a bit difficult. The things are not acceptable to Pakistan, Kashmiris and India have to be eliminated and finally issues acceptable to all are to be taken up.
He said it is at the last stage that flexibility needs to be shown by all the sides. "We have to be realistic at this final stage," he said.
President Musharraf assured the Kashmiri leadership that he would do his best to seek a solution to the issues concerned. He said, "Trust me let the talks begin and I will do my best."
He assured the Kashmiri leaders of his full support and said, "I am not deceiving you, I will do my best to find a solution, and if I cannot do something, I will leave."
He sought the support and trust of the Kashmiri leadership and said the matter cannot move forward without their participation.
"There cannot be a solution which is not acceptable to all the sides," he added.
He urged the Kashmiri leadership to forge unity among their ranks and files as "strength lies in unity and not in diversity".
President Musharraf said, "Kashmiris need to stay united, with one voice" without showing any weakness at this critical juncture.
"Only by standing united could we move towards achieving a solution," he said.
He said he was not afraid of fighting, however, he added that wars have pushed back the South Asian region far behind. He said we have failed to achieve success and progress because of our failure to understand the realities. He said, "We need to face the facts and try to move towards a solution."
He said Pakistan-India talks would take place from February 16-18, the election process in India would end soon and they would have a new government. Whether we have made some progress on composite dialogue or not will be clear this year.
Musharraf said he had informed the world leaders that "We need progress (in talks), otherwise all efforts will go waste.
"The entire world accepts this fact and herein lies our success," he said.
President Musharraf regretted that some elements, in the name of jihad in occupied Kashmir and Afghanistan, were carrying out terrorist activities in Pakistan, which could not be allowed.
"They are damaging Pakistan and will never succeed," he said and asked such elements not to bring a bad name to Jihad by their evil designs.
The president said the Kashmir Solidarity Day was to express solidarity and pay tributes to the sacrifices of 80,000 martyrs, who laid down their lives for the occupied Kashmir cause.
He said, "My presence here reflects this commitment that we will not let their sacrifices go waste."
Musharraf said, "We are at a stage where the sacrifices of 80,000 martyrs can bear fruit."
He said there were three objectives of the Solidarity Day, to renew our faith in the solidarity between Pakistanis and Kashmiris, to renew pledge that Pakistan will never forget occupied Kashmir and to renew that Pakistan wants a peaceful resolution of the occupied Kashmir issue and till that time, will continue to extend its moral, political and diplomatic support.
The president said to move towards a solution of the occupied Kashmir issue, we would have to set aside our sentiments and politics and be realistic in our approach.
Later, the president announced Rs 140 million for development projects in Azad Kashmir.
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