Islamabad: In characteristic remarks, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf tonight (Jan 4, 2004) called for amendment to the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation) Charter to discuss bilateral issues among member-countries but refrained from directly mentioning Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking at a banquet he hosted for Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and other SAARC leaders at the Presidential House, Musharraf emphasised, "We must expand the SAARC Charter to discuss bilateral issues at regional level. If we fail, cynicism will take over."

Vajpayee and Musharraf shook hands in the presence of other SAARC leaders before all of them moved into the banquet hall where the Pakistani President welcomed his guests in a 10-minute speech that was telecast live on the State-run television.

This was the first time after a gap of two years that Vajpayee and Musharraf came face to face after the famous handshake at the previous SAARC Summit in January 2002 in Kathmandu.