Geneva: Observing that he was "encouraged" by his meeting with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in New York, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today (Sep 27, 2004) expressed confidence that "we can do business" with him.

"I believe in General Musharraf we have a person with whom we can do business," Singh told reporters accompanying him when asked whether he would describe his meeting with the Pakistan President an "unusual encounter".

Singh, who met Musharraf on September 24 and termed it as "new beginning" and a "historic day", recalled that before he had embarked on this trip, he had said that his meeting with Musharraf would be an essay in mutual comprehension. "I found the best way to size up for him to form an opinion of me and for me to get something of his personality...was to meet one to one," Singh said.

Both leaders had reiterated their commitment to continue the bilateral dialogue process to restore normalcy and cooperation between the two countries.

They had agreed that Confidence Building Measures (CBM) of all categories under discussion between the two countries should be implemented keeping in mind practical possibilities.