Washington: US President George W Bush has appreciated Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's resignation as army chief but asked him to lift emergency rule to pave way for elections. "It is something that a lot of people doubted would ever happen. And he told me he would take off his uniform, and I appreciate that, that he kept his word," Bush said in an interview with CNN yesterday.

"I ve also said that President Musharraf is a person who has done a lot for Pakistan democracy, and in my judgment, in order to get Pakistan back on the road to democracy, he s got to suspend the emergency law before elections," he added. When asked that if shedding of uniform by President Musharraf was a significant step, he said,"I think it is."

Bush, expressing his confidence in Musharraf in helping the US in finding Osama bin Laden, who presumably is holed up somewhere along the border with Afghanistan, said, "he has been an absolute reliable partner in dealing with extremists and radicals." "It s a tough situation in the remote parts of Pakistan. But there's many examples where the Pakistanis have, in cooperation with the US, brought to justice members of al Qaeda's hierarchy. And I m thankful for that," he said.

The US President also said that President Musharraf will do to promote Pakistani democracy, "and taking off his uniform is a strong first step." "And having elections that are out from underneath the emergency law would be a clear signal that he has put Pakistan back on the road," Bush said.

When asked would he authorise the US troops to go into Pakistan if he had actionable intelligence on whereabouts of Osama bin Laden or other top-ranking al Qaeda members, Bush said, "Yes". And when asked if this position has not changed replied, "No hasn't changed".

Source : PTI