President Of Pakistan Calls For Broad-based Afghan Government

Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf has again come out in support of a broad-based government in Afghanistan, which would reflect the multiethnic makeup of the country. General Musharraf made this statement at a meeting with UN Secretary General Special Envoy to Afghanistan Lakhdar Brahimi and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Ruud Lubers in Islamabad. According to General Musharraf, it is necessary that the Pashtuns are represented in the future government, as they make up 60 percent of the Afghan population. During his talk with Mr. Brahimi, the Pakistani president stressed once again the need to activate the political process that should be underway along with the U.S. military operation in Afghanistan. After the meeting, Mr. Brahimi told journalists that "both sides agreed on the principles to solve the current conflict in Afghanistan." Mr. Brahimi also said that he has met with a famous Afghan royalist Pir Sayed Ahmad Gilani, as well as with Rahim Wardak, a military adviser to Zahir Shah, the former king of Afghanistan, and Chief of the Pakistani Military Intelligence Eshanul Haq. Mr. Lubers said that Islamabad "in general agrees to accept refugees, but the mechanism to do so has not been coordinated." The Musharraf government insists that assistance from UN and other similar organizations find its way to Afghan territory. Pakistan is willing to allow for new camps to be established on its territory, but only if they are located close to the border.