Fighting terrorism, developing economy, political stability my priorities, says Musharraf

BEIJING : President Pervez Musharraf has said that fighting terrorism, developing the economy and maintaining political stability are the priorities in his new term of presidency, adding that he is happy over the cooperation with China in the fight against terrorism.
“Fighting terrorism has more to do with acquisition of intelligence than with action. Action is easier than acquiring the knowledge and intelligence of where the terrorist is, who the terrorist is,” President Musharraf told China Daily in an interview.
Pakistani President also called for strengthening communication infrastructure between China and Pakistan to bring the two neighbours closer on the economic front.
Musharraf suggested during his talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Sanya that a railway line along the Karakoram Highway linking Gwadar Port with China be built.
He also proposed building an oil and gas pipeline to offer a short cut for China’s energy supplies from the Gulf, which are now shipped along India and through the Malacca Straits.
“If we can supplement this (the Karakoram Highway) with a rail link,
and also may be an oil and gas pipeline link; and then you take the Central Asian
republics with that, the whole area will open out through Pakistan to rest of the
world,” he said.
“So my thoughts are that we should now be thinking bigger, beyond bilateral or the region.”
He condemned attempts to undermine the Beijing Olympics and opposed the West’s “superimposition” of democratic values and human rights on China.
“We are extremely glad that preparations for the Olympic Games are so outstanding,”.
“We condemn any attempt by anyone to undermine the process of Olympic preparations, especially the Olympic torch (relay),” he said.
Musharraf, lamented attempts by some Western politicians and media to politicise the Olympics by smearing China’s Tibet policy and human rights situation.
“First of all, we consider Tibet an inalienable part of China,” he said. “If at all anyone is harboring or abetting the separatists, we condemn that.
“You cannot superimpose the human rights and democracy environment of a Western country onto other countries,” he noted.
He said in every country, human rights and democracy have to be tailored according to its own dynamics, which China is doing well.
“The basic responsibility of any government is the security of the nation, progress and development, welfare and well-being of its people.
Obviously this is being achieved (in China),” Musharraf said.
“I think China is a typical example of development and progress, the
welfare and well-being of its people,” he said.