Islamabad: Close on the heels of reports in Pakistani media that President Pervez Musharraf was likely to announce a "crucial shift" in Islamabad's policy on Kashmir, a top Foreign Ministry official on September 2 said Musharraf would "make a very important statement" at the UN General Assembly next week.

"The President would be making a very important statement at the UN General Assembly on Kashmir," Foreign Office Spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan told a media briefing on September 2.

"Kashmir is an important issue and it will be addressed in his speech," said Khan without elaborating further when reporters sought clarifications on the contents of the "very important" statement.

About the issues that would figure in the talks during the meeting between Musharraf and US President, George Bush during his trip to New York next week, Khan said, "The situation on the border, Indo-Pak situation, situation in Kashmir and the resolution of Kashmir dispute would come up at the meeting."

He however said no meeting was planned between Musharraf and Prime Minister, A B Vajpayee in New York. Musharraf is to address the UN general Assembly on September 12 followed by Vajpayee on September 13.

Both leaders however were scheduled to hold talks with Bush in separate meetings.

"So far we have not received any request from Prime Minister Vajpayee for the meeting. We will look at it when we receive it," he said adding that no meeting was also scheduled between the Foreign Ministers of the two nations.

PTI