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Pakistani president: We must weigh opening ties with Israel

By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent and AP

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Sunday said
that his country should seriously consider
recognizing Israel and establishing diplomatic
relations with it.

Speaking in an interview with the private Geo Television
station upon his return from a two-week tour of Europe and the United States, Musharraf said: "This is the responsibility of the nation to decide. This should be seriously thought over. The media should have an
open debate on this ...

The debate should be serious. There should be no
emotionalism of the extremists."

"What is our dispute (with Israel)?" he continued. "We should think. I have been
saying: 'Should we be more Catholic than the
pope or more pious than the pope or more
Palestinian than the Palestinians themselves?'

Is this the right attitude or should there be
some change in it? There should be national
consensus on it."

Musharraf had made similar comments before
setting off on his tour, but Israel interpreted
these as a largely meaningless gesture meant to
shore up his image in the U.S. Sunday's
remarks, however, were both far more forceful
than his previous comments and were made after
President George Bush had already publicly
promised him an aid package. As a result, a
senior Israeli source said, "his intention
truly appears to be serious, not aimed merely
at conciliating American public opinion."

Nevertheless, Israeli officials stressed,
Musharraf is unlikely to follow through on this
opening unless he musters significant public
backing for such a step.

Musharraf's remarks Sunday were preceded by the
visit to Israel last week of a Pakistani
businessman who is considered one of the
president's close associates. The businessman
was apparently sent to "test the waters" as to
whether Israel, which has close ties with
Pakistan's traditional foe, India, would be
interested in relations with Pakistan as well.

Israel currently has no ties of any kind with
Pakistan, and Pakistani passports even state
that they are valid for entry into any country
but Israel. Israeli sources attributed
Musharraf's apparent change of heart regarding
ties with Israel to his new strategic alliance
with the U.S. and the recent thawing of
relations between India and China. Hitherto,
China has always backed Pakistan against India,
but Musharraf fears the new Sino-Indian
rapprochement could leave him increasingly
isolated.