ALMATY, June 17: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Saturday called for addressing root causes of terrorism and underscored the need for resolving conflicts, including Palestine and Kashmir, to ensure peace, security and economic development in the region.

He was addressing the second summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), which was attended by top leaders from Russia, China and Central Asian states.

“When we talk of peace and confidence building in the Asian continent, we cannot escape the responsibility to find just solution to the longstanding Palestinian and Kashmir conflicts and the need to help Iraq and Afghanistan gain stability and normalcy,” he told the gathering while referring to old and new conflicts affecting the region.

He noted CICA’s importance in serving as a forum for encouraging confidence-building measures and said adoption of CBMs would help manage conflicts.

However, he emphasized that these must pave the way for final settlement of the conflicts, which alone could ensure durable peace.

Referring to the Pakistan-India peace process, the president said a unique peace opportunity existed in South Asia.

He said implementation of a number of CBMs in diverse sectors had improved relations and security environment in South Asia.

“This offers a unique opportunity that must be seized to resolve the Kashmir dispute and usher in a new era of peace and cooperation in South Asia,” said the president, adding: “This is achievable through leadership, sincerity courage and flexibility.”

Speaking about the tension over the Iranian nuclear issue, he welcomed the renewed diplomatic efforts to find a negotiated settlement, as well as the US decision to directly engage with Iran.

“We have been supporting the Iran-EU3 dialogue and search for a diplomatic solution, especially by Russia and China,” he said.

He believed that peaceful resolution of disputes implied compromise and accommodation of opposing views.—APP