On militant groups asking him not to accept the Indian invitation:
It is a "wrong attitude" to say that there should not beany talks with India. "It seems very immature to me", he saidin an interview to Pakistan magazine Herald while replying toa question on the appeals made by the leaders of the militantgroups asking him not to accept the Indian invitation.
"The objective is to solve the problem of Kashmir...There are two ways to achieve this objective. Those who arefighting say that they can achieve it by fighting. But thereis another way of achieving this objective and that is bypeaceful negotiations. It is quite obvious that an intelligentperson will say that if the solution is found through peacefulnegotiations, what is the need for fighting?" he said.
"In the past we have been fighting. We have fought wars.I think if are able to resolve it by peaceful means, thereshould not be any need for fighting. I think that those whosay that there should not be any talks have a wrong attitude,"he said.
The right time?
Asked about his past statements that he would use hisinfluence to scale down their militants if India displayedsincerity in starting a peace process, Musharraf said "thetime has not yet come."
"The time will come when talks are held and they makeprogress. The present meeting is step one in the process. Nowit remains to be seen that the talks begin and they begin onKashmir and then they make headway."
Initiatives:
Replying to a question whether he would take furthersteps to improve the atmosphere so that the talks madeprogress, Musharraf claimed, "Well, it was I who took all theinitiatives. We displayed restraint on the Line of Control(LOC).
They, (India) responded to it and it was I who have beensaying that process of dialogue should be initiated in apeaceful way and they have been rejecting it. I have takenmany steps. Now they have invited me and I am going. This isalso a step,"
Now we have to see what solution is ... We have to seethe views and the interests of the Kashmiris, as the situationdirectly affects them," he said.
Musharraf said he had been optimistic about the dialogueprocess starting, at some point or the other. "But then somuch time passed that I had started to become a bitpessimistic and thought perhaps they do not want to haveserious dialogue. So in that sense it is surprising it hashappened."
Motivations:
Asked what could have motivated India to extend theinvitation, he said, "I think there is some overall change inthe environment though I do not know the details. I thinkthere is considerable change in their domestic atmosphere, inthe public opinion and also in their media. It is as a resultof this change that they have made the offer of talks."
Open mind:
Musharraf said he would be going to New Delhi with anopen mind on the Kashmir issue. "Open mind does not mean thatwe start discussing something else and do not discuss Kashmir.We will discuss the Kashmir issue. And with regard to thatissue I shall go there with an open and flexible mind."
Flexibility:
Asked whether he meant that both sides should demonstrateflexibility to achieve a breakthrough on the Kashmir issue, hesaid, "Yes, I do mean this very thing. Both countries havetheir respective stated positions. Talks make headway and somesolution becomes possible only when the two sides show someflexibility in their stated positions. This is my objectiveand it is with this end in view that I intend to go there."
However, he was not sure whether there was any room forflexibility. "This will have to be seen after going there. Ifthe two sides stick to their stated positions, it is quiteobvious that it will be difficult to find some solution," headded.
