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President General Pervez Musharraf arrived here on a 3-day official visit for talks aimed at further boosting economic ties between the two brotherly countries.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and Ankara governor Yehya Gur received the President at the airport.

The Turkish President will receive Musharraf in the formal ceremony to be held on Wednesday morning.

President Musharraf is scheduled to hold talks with his Turkish counterpart and will also address the Grand National Assembly.

Begum Sehba Musharraf, Commerce Minister, Finance Minister, Members of the National Assembly, State Bank of Pakistan Governor, Foreign Secretary and senior officials accompanied the President.

OUR CORRESPONDENT ADDS FROM ISLAMABAD: President General Pervez Musharraf has dispelled the impression of any sell-out on Kashmir and said that Pakistan is fully safeguarding its national interest and there is no question of compromise on nuclear programme.

He was talking to newsmen at Chaklala Airbase on Monday before his departure for Ankara and to participate in the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland.

"Kashmir and strategic assets are our national interests and we will not give them up. If some one is thinking so he is not right", president said.

He said Pakistan wants to resolve Kashmir problem in an amicable and peaceful manner.

Musharraf said the dialogue process has been initiated and hoped that both Pakistan and India would realise that if they have to move forward on Kashmir and all other issues the talks have to be successful.

As far as the strategic assets are concerned, President Pervez Musharraf reiterated that Pakistan is a nuclear state and will remain so. He emphatically stated that Pakistan will keep developing and refining its capabilities in these fields and there is no question of any sell out.

About his visit to Turkey, the President said he will hold discussions with Turkish leaders to further strengthen bilateral relations as well as co-operation in defence production.

The President was seen off at the Chaklala Airbase by Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Mohammad Aziz Khan and Vice Chief of Army Staff General Mohammad Yousaf.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2004


Copyright Business Recorder, 2004


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