Pakistan urges Kashmir concession

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/6948329.stm

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Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri has said that a solution to Kashmir will not be ideal for any of the concerned parties.

In an interview with the BBC's HARDtalk programme, Mr Kasuri said that "reciprocal concessions" would have to be made by all sides.

Mr Kasuri was speaking to the programme to coincide with the 60th anniversary of India and Pakistan's independence.

India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir in the past 60 years.

"Ultimately a solution to Kashmir will be one that is not the best perceived either by a majority of Indians, a majority of Pakistanis or a majority of Kashmiris," he said.

"That is the short answer. It will be the best under the circumstances. It will not be ideal for either Pakistan, India or Kashmir and if it is not that, there'll be no solution to Kashmir.

"There has to be reciprocal concessions, there has to be reciprocal movement. There will be no unilateral concessions by Pakistan."

Indian-administered Kashmir has been the scene of a violent 17-year insurgency against Delhi's rule.

Separatist groups on Wednesday called a general strike to co-incide with independence day, describing the anniversary as a "black day" and calling the celebrations "meaningless" until Kashmir gets "freedom".

Correspondents say ordinary life was disrupted in the run-up to the anniversary by a security crackdown, with unpopular "cordon and search" operations and frisking of civilians stepped up.

<i>HARDtalk can be seen on BBC World at 3:30h GMT (not Asia), 08:30h GMT, 14:30h GMT, 20:30h GMT, 23:30h GMT (not Asia)

It can also be seen on BBC News 24 at 0430 and 2330.