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06 November 2007
Pakistan’s Musharraf Urged To Hold Elections, Shed Uniform Soon
Bilateral U.S.-Pakistani security talks postponed
Washington -- Pakistan's president, General Pervez Musharraf, should lift the state of emergency in the country and hold elections as soon as possible, President Bush and other administration officials say.
During a November 5 meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Bush praised Pakistan’s leader as “a strong fighter against extremists and radicals” who understands the dangers posed by both, since he has been an assassination target multiple times.
“Our hope is that he [Musharraf] will restore democracy as quickly as possible,” Bush said. Erdoğan said he would offer the same advice to Musharraf.
The United States government has been monitoring closely a fluid situation in Pakistan since Musharraf declared a state of emergency November 3. Under the emergency decree, Musharraf has jailed opposition leaders, restricted the media and let go a number of Supreme Court judges. His October 6 re-election is under review by that court.
Earlier in the day, Bush directed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to convey U.S. concerns via telephone to Pakistan’s president, as well as the expectation that Musharraf would honor previous pledges to shed his military uniform.
On previous occasions, Rice has conveyed the U.S. view that Pakistan, in large part under Musharraf’s leadership, has “made great strides” on press freedoms and civil society development, and these gains need to be protected.
During her trip to Israel and the Palestinian Territories, Rice said the United States does not support extra-constitutional measures that take Pakistan “away from the path of democracy and civilian rule.”
Musharraf’s decision now “sets Pakistan back in terms of the considerable progress that it had made along the road to democratic change,” she said.
The secretary said it is in Pakistan’s best interest for a prompt return to the constitutional course and “affirmation that elections will be held for a new parliament, and, for all parties to act with restraint in what is obviously a very difficult situation.” Her comments followed indications from the Pakistan government that the schedule for national elections could slide by as much as a year.
Rice said the United States has been a proponent of a democratic path for Pakistan, and the current emergency “is a setback for what we had hoped would be ... a continuous and smooth movement to ... civilian rule.”
Musharraf should stop wearing his military uniform as he has promised previously, Rice added. “That would be an important step.”
U.S. Representative to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad reiterated the United States' stance on Musharraf’s actions.
“We oppose what has happened there," he said November 5. "It goes against the expectation of the people Pakistan and the world, the move towards a democratization, toward a free and fair election. … And we are very concerned and disturbed by what has happened.”
During a trip to China, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters November 5 that the United States wants to see Musharraf return Pakistan to “law-based, constitutional and democratic rule as soon as possible.”
Although Pakistan remains a key strategic partner of the United States, Gates said the actions taken by Pakistan in the immediate aftermath of Musharraf’s declaration were disturbing.
The defense secretary said U.S. officials would review assistance programs, but would be “mindful not to do anything that would undermine ongoing counterterrorism efforts.”
U.S.-PAKISTAN DEFENSE TALKS POSTPONED
Given the uncertain political situation in Pakistan, the United States postponed a bilateral defense consultative meeting that was scheduled for November 6-7 in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Gates’ press secretary said the annual meeting would be rescheduled as soon as conditions are more conducive for talks. Important bilateral meetings, Geoff Morrell said, “require an atmosphere where the issues can be addressed with the full attention of all participants.”
Musharraf has said he needed extra power to fight a rising threat from those associated with al-Qaida and the Taliban, although press reports tie his decision to a pending Supreme Court announcement on his decision to remain in place beyond his current term.
In a November 3 statement, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Musharraf has often said he would “step down as Chief of [the] Army Staff before retaking the presidential oath of office and has promised to hold elections by January 15.” McCormack urged all Pakistani parties “to work together to complete the transition to democracy and civilian rule without violence or delay.”
(USINFO is produced by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
