Friday, March 25 2005 15:06 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Weeks before his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said India and Pakistan should discuss options to resolve the Kashmir issue as agreed in the joint statement issued after their meeting in New York last September.

"There was a need now to start discussing the options. Otherwise, how are we going to move forward," Musharraf, who will be in Delhi to watch the last one-day Indo-Pak cricket match on April 17 and also meet Singh, said.

The official news agency APP quoted him as saying that he would take up the Kashmir issue in his talks with Singh.

He said that the options to resolve the issue should be discussed as agreed in the September 24 joint statement issued after their meeting in New York last year.

"It is clearly stated that the Kashmir dispute needs to be resolved in a purposeful manner and the options need to be evaluated," he said referring to the statement.

The Pakistan President's remarks come after Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said there will be no structured agenda during the Manmohan-Musharraf meeting and both leaders would discuss issues of their interest.

On the Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service, Musharraf said the "Indian side has shown flexibility and agreed that the travellers need not have a Pakistani or Indian passport".

"Overall there has been flexibility," he said adding that CBMs and dialogue process must move in tandem.

He also agreed with the impression that there was more movement on the side of CBMs and "less on the resolution of the real issues".

"Talks are continuing, there are many issues, but we are moving in the right direction. I hope we can move forward to some solution," he said.

On the domestic front, Musharraf said he was trying to resolve the crisis gripping South West Balochistan where nationalist rebels have raised a banner of revolt against the Government demanding more autonomy.

Referring to the reports of recurring clashes between Bugti tribals led by their Baloch nationalist leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti he said, his doors were always open for talks but warned the Government would pay back in the same coin if its writ was challenged in Balochistan.

He said it seemed the rebel elements involved in acts of sabotage were being funded from outside the country but there was no evidence they were funded by Indian Consulates in Iran and Afghanistan.

Asked whether Indian Consulate in the area funded the Baloch rebels, he said that Pakistan would take serious note if any evidence was made available on the involvement of Indian agencies in its internal affairs.