Musharraf opposes independent Jammu and Kashmir   
'Pakistan Times' Monitoring Desk

NEW DELHI (India): Disfavouring “independence” for Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said his country would give up claim on the state if India accepts his four-point solution that includes demilitarisation and “self-governance with joint supervision mechanism”, Press Trust of India reported on Monday.

He said both India and Pakistan would have to make compromises and be prepared to give up their respective positions held since 1948.

“We will have to.. Yes... If this solution comes up,” Musharraf told NDTV in an interview when asked whether Pakistan is “prepared to give up claim” on Kashmir.

He was referring to his four-point solution, which is: to make no change in boundaries of Kashmir, to make borders and the LoC irrelevant, have staggered demilitarisation and have autonomy or self-governance with a joint supervision mechanism.

“We are at the moment, both India and Pakistan, ... We are on the same position as we were since 1948. But we both ... Ought to be prepared to give up all that we have been saying,” Musharraf said.

Asked whether, by talking about self-governance, he wanted to say no independence for Kashmir, Musharraf said “yes we are against independence”.

He said even India was against independence for the state. “If we reach an agreement where we are giving self-governance, yes indeed..,” Musharraf said when asked whether under the solution, Pakistan would give up its claim on Kashmir and let them self-govern.

“One is giving up that clearly and I say, yes (I) am giving up... There is a provision in that... One is prepared to give up, in case India leaves its stated position also,” the President added.

He said that negotiations for peace involves “compromise”, otherwise “you can’t go for a solution of a problem”.

Noting that compromise “inherently means stepping back by both sides”, Musharraf said “so inherently, both sides have to give up their positions... And step back. If one of us is not prepared to step back, we will not reach a solution.”

Asked whether he will step back if India accepts his solution, he said “yes .. We will have to.”●