JEDDAH, 12 June — Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said that the situation with neighboring India “remains grim,” adding that measures taken by New Delhi to ease tension were not enough.

“The situation will remain grim till we disengage on the borders ... So long as the physical presence of the forces continues, the situation will remain grim,” Musharraf told newsmen here yesterday.

The Pakistani president met with members of the Saudi media for an informal discussion after arriving here on an official visit.

He was met at the airport by Prince Abdullah, the regent, and later held talks with him that covered the Middle East and tensions in South Asia.

“It is easing, but as a military man, I have to see both (possibilities) ... Intentions (to resort to war) are receding but these can change any time,” Musharraf added.

“We will not initiate war, but we have to guard our honor and dignity. We will have to determine the outline between avoidance of war and not compromising on honor and dignity,” the president said.

Musharraf told reporters that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have a long and rich history based on mutual good will and faith, and that Pakistan can always look toward Saudi Arabia when problems arise for help and assistance.

Regarding the Indo-Pak situation, Musharraf stated that it is all based on intentions and capabilities, and the problem with intentions is that they can change overnight. He stressed, however, that Pakistan and its people do not want war, especially not nuclear war.

In order to avoid the latter, three things, he explained, must be achieved: South Asia should be denuclearized, there needs to be a strengthening of deterrents, and most importantly a resolution to the Kashmir issue.

On the contentious issue of Kashmir, the president explained that its local population has been living in a similar situation for over a hundred years, and the media exaggerates the significance of shots being traded. In fact, this happens on a daily basis, and the local population on both sides of the border have become desensitized to it.

The subject of "religious extremists" was also brought up. Musharraf stated they are "only a small minority" in Pakistan and are under control. He also stressed that, as Muslims, we should not judge one another and instead all try to persuade people of the greatness of our religion by personal example.

After Sept. 11, he added, he has been able to control the extremists with the support and help of his people.

He said Saudi detainees in Pakistan who were allegedly Al-Qaeda members are part of over 300 members holding various nationalities, and the Saudi and Pakistani intelligence agencies were working closely in the best interests of both countries.

About US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s planned visit to Pakistan tomorrow, Musharraf stated that they have discussed the situation with India numerous times and so he does not expect anything new to come of the meeting.

However, he will encourage India to return to the negotiating table.

Later, in an exclusive interview with Khaled Al-Maeena, editor-in-chief of Arab News, Musharraf said that the three most important issues that now concern the Pakistani government are the economy, poverty and political resolution.

He also thanked the Pakistani people for their encouragement and support in his bid to address and resolve their problems.

Asked by Al-Maeena if the Agra Summit had been the last chance to find a resolution, the president said: "We tried our best to get a declaration signed. But the hard-liners in India scrapped the whole process."

Regarding the West’s fear of possible nuclear terror in South Asia, Musharraf told Al-Maeena: "Nobody in their right minds wants a nuclear exchange. India and Pakistan are nuclear states, but Pakistan has conventional deterrents and we must maintain them because they will be safeguards against an unconventional war."

"This is not a military dictatorship, but a government for the people," he later stated. "Pakistan suffers from a distorted perception, but the reality is very different — so please visit us," he added.

When Al-Maeena asked about law and order in Pakistan, the president said there was "a strategic plan to resolve all the problems that Pakistan has, including the economic revival of the country and political restructuring. We have come a long way."