Islamabad: Making it clear that he has not fixed any timeframe for resolving Kashmir issue, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf today (April 13, 2004) asserted that the dialogue process between India and Pakistan on all issues including Kashmir has to move forward when the Foreign Ministers meet in July/August.

"I haven't fixed any timeframe and I wasn't impatient at all. I basically would like to move forward. But what I said was the Foreign Ministers are going to meet in July/August, and the Foreign Secretaries are going to meet again in May/June," President Musharraf told BBC World's Hardtalk Pakistan programme.

In the interview, Musharraf refused to commit to an exact time-table for giving up his position as Army Chief and also criticised opponents for tarnishing the image of Islam.

Clarifying his recent statement on Indo-Pak dialogue process, he said, "Now what do we move forward on? I keep saying there are two channels operating: one is the confidence-building measures; the other is the dialogue process. Now there is a very... there is a linkage."

"They both must go on, there is a simultaneity to it, they must go in harmony, move in harmony. We can't be going on CBMs continuously and nothing happening on dialogue. So dialogue has been taken forward to May/June because of the Indian elections and we understand that."

"Now when we have the dialogue and the Foreign Ministers' meet and there is no progress on Kashmir, I mean this is a very serious issue. We must talk of Kashmir and start looking for forward movement."

When asked what the solution was, Musharraf said, "Well I wouldn't like to discuss the solution, frankly."

To a question whether he had one (solution) in mind, Musharraf simply said, "I know many solutions. I know many solutions."

When the interviewer persisted on the solutions, he said, "I don't have one in mind which one we should pick for, because I think we need to develop consensus."

He replied in the negative when asked whether relations between India and Pakistan have cooled recently.

"No. No, they haven't at all. I think they are as good or as warm as they were before," he said.

When the questioner pointed out that a decision on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus route have also been postponed, Musharraf said, "No, no, there's no cooling. These are very serious issues. We are... the total environment has changed after so many years."

Now if you think that everything is going to be milk and honey all of a sudden, there will be some problem areas, which are there, but they are normal. They are normal in the process, over a dialogue process, finding the way forward. You spoke about the bus, I am sure we will start talking again. I know that. We'll start talking. There were some technical problems which both the sides agreed. And both the sides gave very good statements. There is a desire to move forward."

Then the interviewer persisted, asking, "Even on Kashmir?"

"I hope so, I hope so," Musharraf said. "I made it very clear, I mean there is no point in, I say it very frankly, if anyone considers my statement, my emphasis on Kashmir, or saying that the dialogue process on all issues including Kashmir and the Kashmir process has to be moved forward, if they think this is being rigid, or if they think I am making issue of a triviality, I don't agree with this."

"This is not a trivial issue. This is the main issue. So if I say it very bluntly...unfortunately I'm not such a diplomat, I say it. I think that is the reality."

Asked how the dialogue could move forward, Musharraf said, "When the Foreign Ministers sit, they must start talking of Kashmir and trying to look at how you move forward. What are the solutions? You start discussing something concrete."

To a specific question on when he proposed to step down as Army Chief, Musharraf refused to be drawn into committing to an exact timeframe but said it could be around October.

"One has to think October is the time when the tenure of Army Chief, Vice Chief of Army Staff, and Chairman, Joint Chief of Staff Committee, gets completed so one doesn't want to...its customary that you don't upset these timings."

Asked whether he would like to remain Chief of Army Staff beyond this year, he said, "I wouldn't like to comment on that. I need to put a lot of thinking straight before that."

In a sharp attack on the Islamic alliance opposing him, Musharraf said, "I think they are weak on the religion. They have tarnished the image of the religion. They have brought misery to the Muslims of this country."