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Pakistan ready for no war pact: Musharraf

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday said he was prepared to accept denuclearisation of South Asia and sign a no war pact with India.

In an interview to NBC-TV, Musharraf, however, said Pakistan would not reciprocate India's pledge of no first use of nuclear weapons.

Pakistan was prepared to go much farther: Accept denuclearisation of South Asia and sign a no war pact with India, he said.

When suggested that India realised the danger of a nuclear war better than Pakistan and that is why it had said it would not use nuclear weapons first, Musharraf said: "I would like to differ on this issue. We understand it, if not better, as much as they do."

"When you talk of (India's) no first use, Pakistan has been offering denuclearisation of South Asia; Pakistan has been offering reduction of forces in South Asia, so we are going far, far beyond them. It is not an issue of no first use, but far beyond that."

Asked why he did not accept no first use of nuclear weapons, he said, "Why should we accept what they (Indians) say? Why don't they accept what we are saying? Also, may I say the world should accept what we are saying?"

PTI

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