20000326

Clinton presses Musharraf on democracy, violence

ISLAMABAD: US President Bill Clinton pressed Pakistan's military ruler to map out a rapid return to democratic rule and to exercise restraint with arch-rival India, White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said on Saturday.

He told reporters Clinton also stressed the need in his discussions with General Pervez Musharraf for Pakistan to use its influence to bring Saudi-born terrorism suspect Osama bin Laden to justice.

Lockhart described the one hour and 40 minute talks as "serious, frank and very direct" and said Clinton "stressed the need for a rapid return to civilian democratic rule". Musharraf seized power in an October 12 coup which overthrew Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The U.S. president also stressed the need for restraint with nuclear rival India as well as respect for the Line of Control dividing disputed Kashmir, the need for Indo-Pakistani dialogue and the rejection of violence. Indo-Pakistani talks were broken off after a near-war over Kashmir almost one year ago.

Lockhart said Clinton told Musharraf that bin Laden, who is accused of masterminding the August 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Africa which killed 200 people, must be brought to justice from his sanctuary in Afghanistan.-Reuters