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Musharraf Takes Conciliatory Tone Towards Vajpayee - 2003-02-25


Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has taken a more conciliatory tone toward Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on the second day of a summit of non-aligned countries in Malaysia.

The two leaders are not meeting directly at the summit, and they clashed over Kashmir in separate speeches on the opening day of the gathering.

On Monday, President Musharraf described the people of Indian Kashmir as "oppressed people" and Mr. Vajpayee accused Pakistan of sending terrorists to Indian Kashmir to disrupt the recent state assembly elections held there.

On Tuesday, General Musharraf told reporters he would like to extend a note of friendship to Mr. Vajpayee. But then he repeated his stance on Kashmir that had irked Mr. Vajpayee on Monday.

While calling the rebellion against Indian rule in Kashmir a "freedom struggle," he added he wanted to resolve all disputes with India because, in his words, "our people have suffered enough."

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