Musharraf to Visit India with "Cautious Optimism"

Pakistani newly inaugural President Pervez Musharraf said Monday that he is going to India for the sake of peace in South Asia with "cautious optimism. "

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 26th International Nathiagali Summer College on "Physics and Contemporary Needs", Musharraf said that South Asia must come out of its pit of poverty and learn to live in peace and harmony. "It is this spirit that I have accepted the Indian prime minister's invitation for talks. I am going there with cautious optimism."

The Pakistani leader also reiterated on the occasion that Pakistan's minimum nuclear capability is entirely for self-defense and no compromise could be made on it, saying "we have no aggressive designs. We believe in acquiring minimum credible deterrence and do not want to direct our limited resources towards a race of weapons of mass destruction."

Musharraf said Pakistan is interested in further harnessing nuclear energy for power production, adding that the steps taken by his government would spur economic activity in the country, and the government might decide to set up two more nuclear power units at Chashma and Karachi.

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