PAKISTAN: GENERAL MUSHARRAF PRESS CONFERENCE

(26 May 2000) Natural Sound
For the first time since toppling Pakistan's civilian government, General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday unequivocally said he would return the country to democratic rule in three years.
Two weeks ago, the Supreme Court ordered a return to democratic rule in Pakistan within three years and three months.
"This is the Supreme Court decision,� Musharraf told reporters at a news conference in the federal capital, Islamabad.
The court order was part of a larger decision that upheld the military takeover in Pakistan last October 12.
The court said the army took power from a civilian government because it was corrupt and incompetent.
The Supreme Court also gave Musharraf sweeping powers to change Pakistan's constitution, something the army chief told reporters he would do.
Musharraf is believed to favour a constitution that gives the military a role in governing the country.
In a three-hour news conference, Musharraf promised sweeping political and economic reform and said the army would hand a progressive and prosperous Pakistan over to civilian rule.
On the international front, Musharraf said that although relations with neighbor India were not good, he was ready to talk to Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
The Himalayan region of Kashmir has been the flashpoint of two previous wars between India and Pakistan.
The two countries routinely exchange artillery and heavy weapons fire across the disputed border and there are increasing fears that the simmering dispute could erupt into an all-out confrontation.
The international community is pressuring the countries to open talks.
World leaders are particularly concerned because both countries exploded nuclear devises in 1998 and declared themselves nuclear powers.
Musharraf also warned Russia against carrying out airstrikes against Pakistan's neighbour, Afghanistan.
Both General Valery Manilov, first deputy head of the Russian general staff, and Russian Defence Minister Igor Sergeyev on Thursday reiterated Russia's readiness for possible air strikes on Afghanistan if the country continues alleged aid to Chechen rebels.
The prospect was raised this week after the Kremlin said it had acquired evidence of a deal between Afghanistan's ruling Taliban and suspected terrorist leader Osama bin Laden to aid the rebels.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Yes, obviously, this is the Supreme Court judgement, which has to be accepted."
SUPER CAPTION: General Pervez Musharraf
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"That if India does it, India must be restrained. If India does it, we should not be stopped. Then the onus will be on them, to have initiated another system of blasts. But we are not at all preparing. We don't want to carry out any tests, any nuclear tests at all."
SUPER CAPTION: General Pervez Musharraf
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I am sure Pakistan and India both are responsible enough to understand implications of nuclear power and are responsible enough to avoid any such confrontation which can lead to even the remotest possibility of the use of nuclear weapons."
SUPER CAPTION: General Pervez Musharraf
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"It is certainly a very serious matter and I don't know the authenticity of this report, whether they are really contemplating an attack on Afghanistan, but I would certainly say that this will escalate the situation and it will make it one-sided, in favour of the northern alliance which should not be attempted because it can have very, very far reaching consequences in the other central Asian republics."
SUPER CAPTION: General Pervez Musharraf
APTN

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