Show magnanimity, compromise on Kashmir: Pak to India
Press Trust of India
Posted online: Thursday, June 26, 2003 at 1153 hours IST
Updated: Thursday, June 26, 2003 at 1246 hours IST
 Washington, June 26: Describing Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee as a “partner in the historic peace process”, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has asked India, being the larger country, to make some compromises and concessions towards evolving a just and mutually acceptable solution to the Kashmir issue.
“Despite many disappointments and differences of the past, I am ready to acknowledge Prime Minister Vajpayee as a partner in a historic peace process. This should be aimed at altering negative public attitudes on both sides of the border while moving towards a broad range of cooperation and just and mutually acceptable resolution of Kashmir and other issues” Musharraf said in an address at the US Institute for Peace on Wednesday night.
Putting the onus on India, he said a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue and thereby peace in the region can only be achieved if India, the bigger country showed "magnanimity" by making more concessions than Pakistan. "... the onus or initiative for reconciliation and accommodation is always shown by the larger country. We do understand India is a large country, and so, if Pakistan during mediation, steps to compromise, it is seen as a sell-out, it is seen as a sign of weakness, while if the same thing is done by a larger partner, (in this case ) India, it is seen as a sign of magnanimity and a sign of greatness".
Expressing "extreme satisfaction" at Vajpayee's peace overtures and a number of subsequent measures to reduce tension, Musharraf said he looked forward to early resumption of dialogue process "to build on the understandings we were able to reach in the previous meetings".
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