Thursday, August 17 2006 17:45 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Endorsing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's suggestion to institutionalise arrangements to bring people from both sides of divided Kashmir closer, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said this needs to be discussed as it could be a 'starter' for the 'joint management' of the region.

Musharraf noted that none of us is in favour of their (Kashmir's) independence and suggested that a joint framework for self-governance of the entire Kashmir region should be worked out as part of solution to the problem.

"Yes, I think that is a starter. This is a very good term," he told noted Constitutional expert A G Noorani in an interview for Frontline magazine when referred to Singh's recent remarks that there should be institutionalisation of arrangements to bring people from both parts of Kashmir closer.

Musharraf was asked whether he would consider Singh's suggestion as an acceptable mode of joint management of the two parts of Kashmir.

Singh had made the remarks at the Kashmir roundtable in Srinagar on May 24 while addressing various groups of the state.

"The term 'institutional arrangements' is what I think is correct. But we need to define the modalities," Musharraf said in the interview published in the latest issue of the magazine.

Musharraf said there needs to be "discussion and thought" with regard to the idea of institutionalising the arrangement.

With regard to "autonomy" for Jammu and Kashmir as advocated by New Delhi, he said the word creates confusion and "negative optics", and needs to be replaced.