During the last couple of weeks, President Musharraf has been visiting key Muslim countries, ostensibly to promote an Islamic world initiative to promote peace in the Middle East region. So far he has visited:-
He has receieved exceptionally warm welcomes in the countries he has visited so far, especially in Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Malaysia, indicating that he is assuming some sort of leadership role in the Muslim world. But considering the chaos in the Middle East region at the moment in multiple theatres (Gaza, Iraq, Lebanon and impending challenges in Iran) one wonders if his tour is more deliberate and strategic in nature?
The only real country in the Central/South American region that Ahmedinijad is working to have strong relations with is Venezuela, and that is largely because of the antipathy of both to the United States. With all other countries in the region Iran has pretty normal relations, hence your suggestion makes no sense for Pakistan.
Pakistan has attracted billions of dollars of investment in the last few years from many of the countries Musharraf has visited so far, and much larger investments are in the pipeline. Also, as I stated earlier the greater ME region is racked by multiple violent conficts and confrontations, and Pakistan as the biggest state in the region can play a leading role in bringing stability here. It is a credit to Pakistan, that it's leader is probably the only Muslim leader who can be warmly welcomed in hardline Sunni and Shia Muslim states, as well as secular and moderate ones. I don't think any other leader has such a stature in the Muslim world to attempt this.
Musharraf says Pakistan, Turkey agree to work together on Middle East peace
Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf on Monday said his country and Turkey agreed to work together to inject new life into Middle East peace efforts. “Turkey and Pakistan are in full agreement to act together,” Musharraf told a joint news conference with Turkish counterpart Ahmet Necdet Sezer. “We are aiming to contribute to efforts to bring peace to our region, to the world and the Muslim world.” Sezer said: “Turkey believes that risk of ethnic and sectarian clashes in the Middle East could have consequences beyond the region,” adding that “initiatives with common sense should be undertaken to strengthen a peaceful solution.” Musharraf was also scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday.
Earlier on Monday, Musharraf visited Iran and met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the presidential palace in central Tehran.
Today in Europe “It is part of consultations with like-minded Muslim countries where we want to address all the problems afflicting the Muslim world, address the Palestinian dispute and bring harmony by attacking the issue of extremism and terrorism,” the official Associated Press of Pakistan quoted Musharraf as saying before his departure from Rawalpindi. Musharraf has been promoting the idea of a forum of Muslim nations to give them a role in trying to resolve the conflicts in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. In recent weeks, Musharraf has visited several Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia and Malaysia. Turkey which enjoys friendly ties both with Palestinians and Israel has long said that it was ready to help negotiate peace in the Middle East. It is unclear what proposals might emerge from Musharraf’s discussions, or how they relate to efforts by the so-called Quartet — the U.N., the U.S., the European Union and Russia — to revive stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Pakistan, which has no formal diplomatic ties with Israel, backs the creation of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. Iran does not recognize Israel and has called for its destruction.
Musharraf’s visit to Iran has removed the logjam in the gas pipeline plans, and even India is now under pressure to come on board quickly.
**Iran ready to share gas with ‘Muslim brotherly countries’
**Iranian religious leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said his country is ready to share its massive gas reserves with ‘Muslim brotherly countries, including Pakistan’ during his talks with visiting Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. He called for strengthening of ties between Iran and Pakistan keeping in view the abundant cultural, historical and religious commonalties shared by the two countries. Receiving Musharraf during his one-day visit here Monday, Khamenei said given the growing importance of energy in the world, Iran is ready to share its massive gas reserves with Pakistan, Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported. ‘Iran is also rich in gas and we are ready to allow Muslim brotherly countries, including Pakistan, to benefit from Iran’s reserves and facilities,’ IRNA quoted Khamenei as saying while referring to the project for laying a pipeline to transfer gas from Iran to India via Pakistan.
He also insisted on unity and solidarity among the Muslim nations. Khamenei was critical of the US and Britain for their support to Israel, which he felt, has allowed the Jewish state to ‘oppress’ Palestine. ‘Any plan on the Middle East will be successful only when it prevents US bullying and puts an end to Zionists’ crimes,’ he said. In the meeting that was attended by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Musharraf said his visit aimed to consolidate bilateral relations, survey issues of the region and the Islamic world. Expressing happiness over the price coding for Iran’s natural gas, Musharraf hoped that the process for laying the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline - called the Peace Pipeline Project - would begin soon. Musharraf later left Tehran for Ankara, Turkey. Musharraf came to Iran following his earlier tour of the Middle East, which had taken him to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Jordan and the UAE, with an aim of finding a solution to the Middle East crisis. Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmoud Kasuri accompanied Musharraf on the trip.
Laeeqkhan, pls stick to the thread topic and discuss on the subject, which is quite interesting and worth discussing and kindly direct the usual anti rhetoric to other relevant threads. Thanks.
Is Musharraf brokering Mideast peace during his long Mideast tour?
Is Musharraf brokering Mideast peace during his long Mideast tour?
Musharraf meets Hasan Bin Talal
Crown Prince of Jordan Hasan Bin Talal called on President General Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday to discus the Middle East situation and other regional and international issues. Musharraf said that the resolution of Palestine issue was imperative for restoring peace in the world and informed the prince of his contact with a number of world leaders in this regard to create unity among the Muslim Ummah.
Re: Is Musharraf brokering Mideast peace during his long Mideast tour?
^^ if he is then musharraf must be the most hard working man in Pakistan
fighting the taliban, battling the Baloch insurgents, making peace with india, constructing mega projects, writing his memoirs, touring the world and promoting peace in the middle east and helping usa catch Al Qaeda, modernizing the armed forces, confronting extremism while promoting moderation
