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Musharraf Warns Against Continuing War, Earns French Praise
PARIS, Nov 8 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf earned praise from French President Jacques Chirac on Thursday for his stance on the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism, but warned after talks in Paris against continuing the campaign in Afghanistan.
A continuation of the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan, risks causing "negative fall-out in the entire Muslim world," Musharraf told journalists after meeting with French leaders.
Musharraf reiterated his intention to raise with U.S. President George W. Bush the issue of a pause in the U.S. offensive for Ramadan, and also stressed that his country had no role in the planning of the military campaign.
"One would desire it to be short and targeted," he said of the campaign, while stopping short of explicitly demanding that the bombing be halted during Ramadan, which starts in around a week.
Musharraf has won much praise in the West for his staunch support of the U.S.-led campaign in neighboring Afghanistan, despite growing opposition in mainly Muslim Pakistan.
When asked if he was worried about the risk of being overthrown during his one-week trip abroad, Musharraf said there was "no possibility of any disturbance whatsoever" during his absence.
He said, however, that the conflict was being widely perceived as "a war against the poor, miserable and innocent people of Afghanistan," particularly due to reports of civilian casualties.
"That is not the case," he said, recalling the need for a three-pronged approach - military, political and humanitarian - to resolving the crisis sparked by the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.
Meanwhile, Chirac promised support to ease Islamabad's massive debt burden after praising Musharraf's "courageous" support for the U.S.-led campaign.
During talks in Paris Wednesday, the Pakistani leader voiced his determination to remain part of the anti-terrorism coalition and would work to find a solution for Afghanistan.
"Our decision to join the coalition was taken after due deliberation, and I come to Paris with the resolution and the determination to be part of the coalition fighting against terrorism around the world and to find a solution to the problem afflicting Afghanistan at the moment," he said.
French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine said on Thursday France had pressed Musharraf to say precisely what his country intended to do to fight terrorism.
"We had genuine discussions to find out the precise nature of Pakistan's commitment to fighting terrorism," Vedrine told France-Inter radio.
"This must translate into concrete action, and Musharraf is the first to say that he, like many other countries, has an interest in seeing terrorism eradicated and dismantled," Vedrine said.
"What we are saying is that President Musharraf must follow his choice through because he's made this choice to cooperate against terrorism, which we think is a just one," Vedrine explained.
"We want to push him to see it through to the end."
During dinner with Chirac, Musharraf brought up the issues of Pakistan's massive foreign debt of around $38 billion dollars, and of international aid.
"France supports international aid efforts towards Pakistan, notably in the program of aid and reforms under discussion at the World Trade Organization [WTO]," Chirac responded.
France also supports "generous treatment" of the debt problem by the Paris Club of creditor nations, he added.
"Pakistan has made a courageous choice. We are conscious of the effort which that represents," Chirac told his guest at dinner.
"Your country has made a choice of the future over the past. The French authorities are determined to help you. In making that choice, Pakistan had turned a historic page in its history."
A French presidency spokesman said that France would "make serious efforts to aid Pakistan meet its current challenges and help it to pursue its reforms".
Pakistan is seeking the scrapping of its foreign debt or at least an easing of the repayment terms.
Musharraf, who met both President Jacques Chirac and Prime Lionel Jospin of France during his overnight stay in Paris, later arrived in London, where he is to meet with Prime Minister Tony Blair before heading for the United States.
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