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Islamabad: Denying any behind-the-scenes deals with United States, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, on the last leg of his four-nation foreign tour, has said that only a "traitor" could compromise on country's nuclear weapons programme and the Kashmir issue.

"Any one compromising on core interests of the country - nuclear power, missile programme and our international stance on Kashmir would be a traitor," Musharraf told a gathering of overseas Pakistanis in Paris on July 3. Musharraf is currently in Paris on the last leg of his 20-day tour to UK, US, Germany and France.

"This is our nuclear capability. Why would we transfer it to others?" Musharraf asked.

He said contrary to the allegations by Opposition parties, he had not struck any deal with US during his Camp David meeting with US President George W Bush. His denial followed reports in the local media that Pakistan has agreed to freeze its nuclear programme during his US visit. The Pakistan government too denied the reports.

In his address to overseas Pakistanis in Paris, organised by pro-military politicians of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Qaide Azam (PML-Q), Musharraf also referred the militancy in Kashmir as "freedom struggle".

"On the 'so-called cross-border terrorism', it is an indigenous freedom struggle that is underway in Jammu and Kashmir," he was quoted as saying by the media.

He said he had explained to world leaders that "we are not involved in it and that whatever was happening in Kashmir were the doing of the local Kashmiri population who were fighting a war of liberation".

On Pakistan's approach to resolving outstanding issues with India, he said, "No one could dictate terms to us and no coercion would be allowed." He added that Pakistan would enter into dialogue with India only on the basis of sovereign equality. "If India is a big country, Pakistan is also a state of 150 million people," he claimed.

Musharraf said if he was achieving national objectives, including assistance and financial benefit from the leading countries, it was the result of his effective diplomacy and not any compromise. "It is victory of our diplomatic skill," he claimed.

Admitting that whenever he met world leaders they asked him questions about Pakistan's nuclear programme and its possible transfer to another country, he said, "I expressed my agreement with their apprehensions by saying that Pakistan does not wish or plan to transfer nuclear technology to anyone."

On terrorism, Musharraf said he assured world leaders that his country "deplores terrorism in all its forms".

The third issue of international concern was trade of narcotics, he said, and expressed Pakistan's willingness to combat it, provided assistance in the form of helicopters and other equipment were provided to ensure monitoring of its smuggling and trafficking.

PTI