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| Israeli officials: Musharraf met Barak |
| 2008-01-28 |
| Pakistan's president held a rare and secret meeting with Israel's defense minister in a Paris hotel last week, and the Iranian nuclear program figured high on the agenda, Israeli defense officials said Monday. The two states have no diplomatic ties, and their officials rarely meet. But Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak saw each other by chance at the Hotel Raphael in Paris on Jan. 22, where they both were staying, the officials said. They then held a scheduled 20-minute meeting the following day, the officials said. The defense officials spoke on condition of anonymity because Israel's Defense Ministry has not officially confirmed the meeting took place. Barak and Musharraf discussed the possibility that Iran would develop nuclear weapons, the Israeli officials said. Nuclear-armed Pakistan, which has close political and economic ties with Iran, has repeatedly said Iran has a right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and that the issue of Iran's nuclear plans must be resolved by diplomatic means. At the meeting, Barak also expressed concern that instability in Pakistan could put the country's nuclear arsenal in the hands of Muslim extremists, but Musharraf assured Barak that Pakistan's nuclear weapons were safe, the officials said. In Islamabad, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Sadiq said Musharraf had a "chance" meeting with Barak in Paris. "The president was leaving and the defense minister of Israel entered the hotel lobby and it was a chance meeting," Sadiq told The Associated Press. "I am not aware of any second meeting." In September 2006, Musharraf said Pakistan's government would have to recognize Israel after an independent Palestinian state was established — but not before. "We cannot do something that sidelines us from the Muslim world," Musharraf said at the time. |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #2 We cannot do something that sidelines us from the Muslim world," Musharraf said at the time. the edited portion of sentence was: cause those guys are crazy Mothers! |
| Posted by: Punky Omeagum5537 2008-01-28 11:13 |
| #1 I'm sure both would've preferred to meet Sarcozy's significant other. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-01-28 08:44 |