Musharraf to India: 'We want friendship'

NEW DELHI, India -- Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf has reiterated his intention to hold talks with long-time foe India to ease the tense military standoff between both countries.

In an exclusive interview with the Indian newspaper The Hindu , Musharraf said Pakistan has done enough to eradicate terrorism, and that it is now time for the nuclear neighbors to hold talks.

"Sincerely, we want friendship," Musharraf said.

"We have taken so much action in our internal environment to curb extremism. This was enough reason, much more than enough reason, for any leadership in India to have decided to de-escalate."

The Pakistan leader said his banning of several militant groups, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad and the Lashkar-e-Taiba, should be a sufficient show of good faith for India to respond positively to his call for talks.

"I think we should start talking, I think one should be strong enough to say that," said Musharraf who announced a sweeping crackdown in January to crush Islamic extremism.

He warned that the standoff could be 'extremely explosive,' and noted the need for both sides to de-escalate.

"I am saying all this in sincerity that we need to de-escalate in the interests of both the countries. In the interest of armies of both the countries," Musharraf said.

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The nuclear-armed foes have massed close to a million troops on both sides of their borders, following an attack on India's parliament last December that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based Kashmiri rebels.

Rejected

But India remains unresponsive to Pakistan's move, saying it will not demobilize its forces until it sees proof that cross-border terrorism against Indian targets have ceased.

It also demanded that Pakistan hand over 20 men accused of terrorist and criminal acts in India.

But to this, Musharraf was quick to draw, saying Pakistan will never give in to India's demand.

"Even if we are weaker than what we are, we will never accept it [the list]," he said. "You think you are going to rub our nose on the ground to submission and we are going to accept?"

"We have our law, we will try them here," he stressed.

Musharraf said he wants to resolve all disputes with India and was ready to discuss all topics, provided the future of the Himalayan region of Kashmir was accepted as the main issue.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence in 1947, two over the disputed region.

"I have said a 100 times that I am prepared to talk on every issue but let us not be naive, let us not bluff ourselves -- Kashmir is the main issue."

About a dozen groups are fighting India's rule in Muslim-majority Kashmir, where authorities say about 33,000 people have died in 12 years of rebellion.