Musharraf to meet European leaders at WEF

Agencies Posted: Jan 15, 2008 at 1231 hrs
Islamabad, January 15: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf will on January 21 embark on an official tour of Belgium, Switzerland, Britain and France during which he is expected to discuss the political situation in the country with top European leaders.

Musharraf will address the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland during the week-long tour and meet important leaders on the sidelines of the summit. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is also scheduled to attend the WEF but it was not immediately known whether Musharraf would meet him.

The President will first travel to Brussels, where he will meet European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana and European parliamentarians. Musharraf will have dinner with Solana and is expected to meet the European parliament's foreign affairs committee.

Musharraf is also scheduled to address the Parliament of Belgium. A meeting is possible with Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency, before Musharraf travels to Davos to attend the WEF during January 23-27.

The President is expected to take European leaders into confidence on various issues, including Pakistan's role in the war on terror, the law and order situation in the country, the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto and the upcoming general election, sources in the Presidency said.

Caretaker Information Minister Nisar A Memon, Foreign Minister Inamul Haq, Petroleum and Minerals Minister Ahsanul Haq and Commerce Minister Shahzada Alam Munno will accompany Musharraf.

In Britain, Musharraf is expected to hold talks with Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The last time Musharraf had visited Britain was in 2006 during the premiership of Tony Blair.

The British government had been closely involved in US-led efforts aimed at forging a power-sharing arrangement between Musharraf and Bhutto before her assassination on December 27. At Musharraf's request, Britain has sent a Scotland Yard team to assist in the probe into her killing.

Reports have suggested that the British government is now involved in efforts to bridge the gap between Musharraf and former premier Nawaz Sharif.