http://www.khaleejtimes.ae/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/subcontinent/2007/January/subcontinent_January828.xml§ion=subcontinent&col=
Musharraf seeks Muslim unity against extremism (AFP, PTI) 23 January 2007 SHARM EL SHEIKH --- The leaders of Pakistan and Egypt said yesterday that Muslim countries should unite to buck the trend in a region plagued by violence and extremism and push for lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace. "There is a need for consensus among Muslim states, Arabs and non-Arabs," Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri told reporters after a meeting between President Pervez Musharraf and his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak. "Both of them feel there is a need for a new initiative on Palestine as well as one combating the forces of extremism all over the Muslim world," Kasuri said. "What is expected today is for a group of Muslim and Arab countries to mobilise the Muslim world and lead it, both towards an internal agreement and in its dealings with the outside world," Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said. Both officials declined to reveal further details of the talks but Musharraf and Mubarak had been expected to discuss the latest efforts to rekindle peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians as well as the spiralling sectarian violence in Iraq. Musharraf held talks with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia on Sunday before arriving in Sharm El Sheikh for talks with Egyptian officials. They discussed major regional and international developments in an attempt to "devise a strategy to address problems confronting the Muslim world". Musharraf's talks with the king centred on bilateral, regional and international issues with special focus on the situation in the Middle East, including Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan, Arab News said yesterday. King Abdullah honoured the president by conferring on him the King Abdulaziz Medallion. Pakistani Ambassador Shahid Karimullah said that Musharraf also attempted to "devise a strategy to address problems confronting the Muslim world". Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia averages around $2.5 billion annually, with over $2 billion constituting Pakistan's oil and oil-related imports. In a sign of strengthening relations, Riyadh has given licences to 20 Pakistani companies to work under Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority and several large Saudi companies have invested in projects in Pakistan. Musharraf is also due to visit Jordan, Syria and the UAE as part of his tour of the Middle East. Our correspondent adds from Islamabad: Musharraf told reporters aboard his plane on way to Egypt that he and Saudi King Abdullah reached an understanding on Sunday on a new initiative for the resolution of the Palestinian dispute. They agreed on the need for combined efforts by the Muslim Ummah to back the peace initiative. He said they were in agreement on a "new and forceful initiative to address all problems facing the Muslim Ummah". "If we don't act now and come up with a new initiative, the dangers to the Muslim world are maximum and its fallout to Pakistan will be very dangerous," Musharraf said. "We agreed on the necessity of new and forceful initiatives directed at the resolution of the Palestine dispute, in our fight against terrorism and extremism and to bring harmony to the Muslim world," the president said. To a question about Iraq, Musharraf said he and King Abdullah were concerned about the deteriorating situation there. The president said resolution of the Palestinian issue would have a positive effect in Iraq, as well as in Lebanon, Afghanistan and even Kashmir. +++ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? 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