PARIS, 5 July 2003 — Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf yesterday said his nation had agreed “in principle” to send a limited number of troops to Iraq but that his nation would strongly prefer not being the only Muslim one to do so.
Musharraf, speaking in Paris on the last leg of a tour that included Britain, Germany and the United States, said Pakistan could not afford a major military commitment and suggested participating in Iraq would come with some political risk.
“We’ve agreed in principle to two brigades,” Musharraf said. “We would much prefer that there is a cover, maybe a United Nations cover or an OIC cover or even GCC,” he said, referring to involvement by either the Organization of Islamic Conference or the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Musharraf, who made Pakistan a key ally of the United States in the war on terror after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in America, says Washington has asked Pakistan to commit soldiers to Iraq. But Pakistan’s powerful Islamic hard-liners have threatened nationwide demonstrations if Pakistani soldiers are deployed in Iraq under the command of the United States. Another stance that has angered hard-liners in Pakistan is Musharraf’s call earlier this week urging his countrymen to consider recognizing Israel.
He said it doesn’t make sense for Pakistan, which is “so far away from the scene,” not to talk to Israel when even Palestinians do. Pakistan should react in a way that recognizes the process of dialogue between the two sides now under way, he said.
“Wise nations and wise people foresee events. It is the unwise who react after events have overtaken the situation. We would like to be a wise nation,” he said.
At home, Musharraf said his nation was taking the crackdown against terrorism very seriously.
