Musharraf on Jordan leg of Mideast tour

AMMAN (JT) — Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf was to arrive here last night for talks with King Abdullah and senior officials on bilateral ties, Mideast developments and issues of concern to the Muslim world.

Government Spokesperson Nasser Judeh told reporters yesterday that the King and Musharraf will discuss the Palestinian and Iraqi situations as well as efforts to fight terrorism.

King Abdullah visited Pakistan in 2005 as part of an Asian tour to rally support for a campaign he launched in defence of Islam in the face of extremists’ attempts to mar its true image.

On a regional tour, the Pakistani president already visited Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

In Sharm El Sheikh, Musharraf and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak agreed that Muslim countries should unite to fight extremism and push for lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace.

“There is a need for consensus among Muslim states, Arabs and non-Arabs,” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri told reporters after a meeting between the two presidents.

“Both of them feel there is a need for a new initiative on Palestine as well as one combating the forces of extremism all over the Muslim world.”

In Riyadh, the Pakistani leader and Saudi King Abdullah held talks on Mideast issues and bilateral relations.

Musharraf, who performed the minor pilgrimage, Umra, on Sunday, was expected to visit Syria and the UAE.