Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said Pakistan’s president can help resolve the Palestinian issue in the Middle East, the state news agency reported Thursday, when Abbas made his first visit to Pakistan.
Abbas, in Pakistan as part of an Asian tour, held talks with President Gen. Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad after a red-carpet reception. He also met with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
“We hope that President Musharraf will put his political weight behind efforts for a just resolution of the lingering dispute,” the Associated Press of Pakistan news agency quoted Abbas as saying after meeting with Musharraf.
Abbas said Musharraf is an “acknowledged world leader, who enjoys great respect for his vision and policies,” APP reported.
Musharraf, a key ally of the United States in the war against terrorism, promised support.
“Pakistan is always with the Palestinians.
Palestinians are our brothers. We will always be with our brothers in the resolution of the Palestinian dispute,” Musharraf told reporters.
Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said Musharraf accepted Abbas’ invitation to send an official Pakistani delegation to assess the situation in Palestinian areas.
No date for the visit was announced.
Pakistan, an Islamic state, has no diplomatic ties with Israel. Islamabad has demanded that Israel end its occupation of Palestinian territories and give Palestinians the right to an independent homeland with Jerusalem as its capital.
Abbas left for neighboring India after his daylong visit to Pakistan. He made earlier stops in Japan and China.
Abbas heads to Washington next week for his first visit to the United States since he was elected in January. He is to meet with US President George W. Bush on May 26, and is expected to seek direct US economic assistance for his administration.
