Ela Dutt

Washington, March 11:

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would not pressure Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to move towards democracy during her March 17-18 visit to Islamabad, the State Department has indicated. State Department spokesman Adam Ereli hedged around the question of whether Rice would demand Musharraf turn his country progressively towards a democracy as President George W Bush has made it part of his global foreign policy agenda. Rice is travelling in South and East Asia from March 14 to 21. Asked whether Rice would urge Musharraf to give up his army chief’s post, Ereli said: “If the subject comes up, we would reiterate our longstanding policy, which is that movement toward democracy is to be encouraged, is to be welcomed, and that we want to help support Pakistan as it takes the steps to, I think, take the steps to answer the people’s call.” But “Musharraf decides” what and when he does that, Ereli said. Washington believes he is committed to moving in the right direction.

Ereli refused to clarify if pushing for democracy was part of the points for discussion on Rice’s agenda when she visits that country. “Like I said, I can’t predict for you what subjects are going to come up and what subjects are not going to come up,” Ereli said. “I will tell you what our policy is. I will tell you what - when the subject comes up, what we - what views we share with the Pakistani government. I would not presume to tell you, at this point, knowing what I know, which is not everything, that the subject will come up and the secretary will say this..... I just can’t be that definitive.” Musharraf had indicated he will follow a path to democracy including on whether he is going to continue as chief of the armed forces, he said.