United Nations, Sept 21 :

Making the Line of Control (LoC) irrelevant is one of the ideas towards “an acceptable solution” to the Kashmir issue Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf seems to have in mind.

Mainly the issue in Kashmir, he told a press conference here yesterday on the sidelines of the 61st UN General Assembly session, is that while India’s concern is that redrawing of borders is not possible, Pakistan’s view was that the LoC cannot be made permanent, “Therefore the deduction from both sides is that LoC should be made irrelevant,” he said.

There were, he said, three factors that made him suggest during his address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that “an acceptable solution” to the Kashmir issue was within reach.

Firstly, there is desire of the Indian and Pakistani people to reach peace. Secondly, the international environment happens to be quite conducive towards facilitating a peaceful resolution of disputes.

Thirdly, the leadership on both sides has an increasing desire to reach a peace agreement, Musharraf added.

Pak may field Aziz for UN chief’s post :

ISLAMABAD/DELHI: Pakistan may be toying with the idea of fielding Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for the United Nations Secretary General’s post as an answer to India’s candidate Shashi Tharoor. The Nation newspaper on Thursday quoted Musharraf as telling a news conference in New York that the designation of UN Secretary General has great importance and, if the designation is offered to Aziz, he would consider the offer. Aziz has been engaged in some diplomatic moves as well, like visiting Turkey and Lebanon. — HNS