ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Sunday opposed a pause in the military operation in Afghanistan during the month of Ramazan, saying suspension in strikes would be detrimental to political strategy.

“If the military actions are suspended at this point of time it would make finding a political solution to the country’s political and humanitarian problems even more difficult,” Mr Schroeder said at a joint press conference after holding over two hours talks with President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

When asked to comment on suggestions that there should be a let up in the military strikes during Ramazan as there was a growing concern about increasing collateral damages, he said unintended damages were always a cause of concern in any military action, but it would be wrong to suspended these strikes for fear of casualties.

Military strikes should continue as a part of more comprehensive strategy, he said, agreeing that military action was not the only solution and it should go on parallel to political initiatives. He said the political strategy and the humanitarian and refugee problems should be addressed simultaneously.

Chancellor Schroeder stressed the need for having an “Intra-Afghan government”, in the post-Taliban scenario, and added: “Both Pakistan and Germany are in total agreement on it.”

He said the new government in Afghanistan would require the UN umbrella to operate and gain roots.

The German Chancellor said no political solution could be found in the Afghan crisis until the Taliban regime falls. He said peaceful development in Afghanistan and a stable government that represents all the ethnic groups are only possible “after the Taliban regime is conquered”.

He said it was crucial that a dialogue about the country’s political future continue at the same time as the military campaign.

The German Chancellor said that the humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan could be sustained with the military operations although it was a bit difficult to carry out relief activities amidst the military action. However, he added that it would be wrong to assume that humanitarian assistance could not be extended with the military operations.

About the problem of refugees being faced by Pakistan, he said, it had been there even before the military operations in Afghanistan and the international community would have to ask from itself that how it ignored the problem for such a long time.

Assuring economic and financial support, Mr Schroeder said, Pakistan would not be able to continue to play a stabilizing role in the coalition for an extended period of time if its burden was not shared by the international community.

The German Chancellor said they had already entered into bilateral negotiations with Pakistan to strengthen economic ties. He pointed out that Germany had already earmarked 100 million marks ($50 million) to provide a cover to trade with Pakistan.

The issue of debt burden of Pakistan was also discussed, he said and added that he assured Germany’s support in this regard.

Germany, he said would also take bilateral steps for strengthening the economic cooperation and to encourage exports between the two countries.

As regard the Kashmir issue, he said the solution lay in returning to the “Agra process”. He said some progress had been achieved through President Musharraf’s visit to Agra and the process should be revived.

Earlier, President Gen Pervez Musharraf in his opening speech again expressed hopes that the military operations in Afghanistan would be short and targeted.

He pointed out that the increasing collateral damages were causing a great deal of concern not only in Pakistan but throughout the Muslim World.

President Musharraf reiterated that political process aimed at setting up a broad-based government in Kabul should be put on a fast track in order to forestall the possibility of a political vacuum.

He said former King Zahir Shah, tribal elders, local commanders, moderate Taliban, elements of Northern Alliance, all could play an important role in the future political dispensation.

He said success of any future political setup would depend on economic reconstruction of the war-ravaged country and rehabilitation of refugees.

Referring to the Kashmir issue, he said, Pakistan desired establishing peace in South Asia. Indian ambitions to assume role of a major regional and global power, he said, continued to threaten peace in the region.

The president called for resolution of Kashmir issue in accordance with the UN resolutions and aspirations of Kashmiri people through revival of Agra process.

He said human rights violations in Kashmir by the Indian security forces were well known to the international community.

As regard Indian allegation that Pakistan was inciting trouble in Kashmir, he said, the freedom struggle on this scale could not be sustained for more than a decade by an outside intervention.

The German Chancellor left for New Delhi in the evening but German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Ms Heidemarie Uieczorek-Zeul stayed back for holding negotiations with Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz.

The German minister was also expected to visit Peshawar before her departure on Monday.