Monday, June 13 2005 13:19 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kuala Lumpur: The Kashmir issue can be solved in two weeks if leaders of both India and Pakistan display the political will, President Pervez Musharraf said in Kuala Lumpur today (Jun 13, 2005).

Asked if he shared the optimism of some that the Kashmir issue could be settled in a couple of years, Musharraf quipped "why two years I think it can be resolved within two weeks if we have the will".

Commenting that "two weeks" was just a way of saying, he said the most important thing was for the leadership of both the nations to have the will to reach a conclusion.

"At this moment, the leadership has the will and I am very hopeful," he told reporters today during a refuelling stopover on his way to Australia for a bilateral visit.

He said talks were being held on issues such as withdrawing troops from Siachin, adding the parleys to re-deploy the troops were meant to end the "eyeball to eyeball confrontation" and "I am sure we'll reach a conclusion".

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said yesterday (Jun 12, 2005) that the two countries were exploring the possibility of pulling their troops out of Siachin Glacier, the world highest battlefield and turn it into a "mountain of peace".

Musharraf said he would love to visit Kashmir. "I would love to go there" but added that he would not make a formal proposal to visit the region as "the time was not ripe yet".

He also refused to affirm whether he would step down in 2007 and hand over power to a civilian leader, saying, "We will cross the bridge when we come to it."