"With trade our industry expands and creates jobs and when it creates jobs it strikes at the root of poverty and also strikes at the root of extremism and terrorism," he said. Barroso praised Pakistan for helping foil the British airline bomb plot in August and said the two sides had agreed to step up ties, although he gave no figure for the enhanced aid.
"The European Union greatly appreciates Pakistan's role in acting against terrorist networks," Barroso said. The EU president also said Musharraf had given "encouraging signals" regarding a readmission agreement the Commission has been seeking for illegal migrants. President Musharraf warned the West that Taliban insurgents were a more dangerous terrorist force than al Qaeda because of the broad support they have in Afghanistan.
The President defended his commitment to counter-terrorism. He told EU lawmakers Taliban fighters had regrouped in southern Afghanistan. "The centre of gravity of terrorism has shifted from al Qaeda to the Taliban," he said. "This is a new element, a more dangerous element, because it (the Taliban) has its roots in the people. Al Qaeda didn't have roots in the people." He said he was certain Taliban fighters were being commanded by former Taliban ruler Mullah Omar from a base in southern Afghanistan, where Nato troops are struggling to contain an insurgency. He rejected criticism that Pakistan was not doing enough to prevent the Taliban from mounting attacks on Nato troops by infiltrating its porous borders with Afghanistan.
"No one should blame us or doubt us for not doing enough," he said, adding that Pakistan had deployed 80,000 troops on its side of the border to tackle militants.
OUT-OF-BOX SOLUTION OF KASHMIR President Musharraf has said "we have to remain engaged for an 'out-of-box solution' of the Kashmir dispute for lasting peace in the region". Addressing the opening session of global discourse on Kashmir at the European Parliament here, he reminded the audience that he had offered 'food for thought' to break the deadlock in 2001, which included 'demilitarisation', 'self-governance' and 'joint management', but the Indian response "is still awaited".
At the same time, he said, he stood by the firm resolve that Pakistan would not move away from its principled stand unless India also moved from its stand. President Musharraf said Kashmir "runs in the blood of every Pakistani" and Pakistan wants peace and stability on the basis of "sovereign equality, honour and dignity".
He said the confidence-building measures (CBMs) were important, "but we need to address the malaise and not only the symptoms". He said the "fleeting opportunity must be seized" to resolve the decades-old dispute by showing "sincerity, flexibility, courage and boldness" on the part of the leadership of the two countries. He emphasised that such issues could not be put in the cold storage.
TALKS WITH BELGIUM PRIME MINISTER President Musharraf and Prime Minister of Belgium Guy Verhofstadt on Tuesday held talks on boosting economic ties between the two countries as the Pakistani leader called for the European Union (EU) to play a major role in resolving the crisis in the Middle East.
The meeting, on the second day of President Musharraf's four-day visit to Belgium, covered bilateral issues and regional and international matters of mutual concern. The two leaders discussed ways and means to further strengthen ties between Pakistan and Belgium, particularly in trade and economic fields.
The recent crisis in Lebanon and the situation in Afghanistan were the focus of discussion between the two leaders as they agreed on the need of resolving problems in the Middle East as soon as possible.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, the Belgian Prime Minister said President Musharraf urged the European Union to play a bigger role in finding solutions to the Middle East crisis. The two leaders also exchanged views on regional issues, including the situation in Afghanistan and how the country could have peace and stability.
Responding to a question on the recent peace agreement the government has signed in North Waziristan, he said military force can only buy time and it does not produce an ultimate solution. He said while the government was committed to fight terrorism militarily, extremism is a state of mind and a different strategy is needed to deal with it.
ADDRESS TO PAKISTANI COMMUNITY Speaking to the Pakistani community here on the first day of a four-day visit to Belgium, President Pervez Musharraf said that he looked forward to enhancing relations between Pakistan and Belgium, and urged the Pakistani community to promote Pakistan's image and work for well-being of their adopted country.
The President said it had warm relations with Pakistan. Both the countries had common understanding on international and regional issues and were also trying to enhance this co-operation in the economic sector, he added.