Alleen Unlikely in de kop is onjuist
'An Unlikely Visitor Gives Musharraf Support
Marc Perelman
Marc Perelman
A few days before Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte traveled to Islamabad last week to impress upon General Pervez Musharraf the need to restore democratic rule in Pakistan, another American envoy quietly landed in the capital to chat with the Pakistani president and army chief.
With the blessing of Washington, Jack Rosen, chairman of the American Jewish Congress’s Council for World Jewry, traveled halfway across the globe for a face-to-face meeting with Musharraf, who he had hailed two years ago as a courageous leader and driving force in Jewish-Muslim dialogue.
In recent weeks Musharraf has been roundly criticized for declaring emergency rule and cracking down on his opposition, in particular the judiciary. The de facto declaration of martial law has been widely viewed as an effort to preempt a ruling from the Supreme Court that would have invalidated Musharraf’s reelection as president last month.
The Bush administration has been scrambling to flesh out a policy on the newly unstable Pakistan, and has reiterated its support for a key ally in the war on terrorism while urging Musharraf to hold free and fair elections in January. The Pakistani president has indicated that he is ready to proceed with elections, but has so far refused to provide a date for ending the state of emergency he decreed on November 3.
While nearly all major Jewish groups have altogether avoided the issue of Pakistan, Rosen has offered outspoken support for the country’s embattled president.
“The real choice we face is not between Musharraf and a return to an effective democratic system, but between Musharraf and the possible collapse of Pakistan,” Rosen wrote in a letter to the editor appearing in this week’s Forward.
Rosen made the trip to Islamabad after consulting with the State Department and key members of Congress. In addition to Musharraf, he met with General Ashfaq Kiyani, the deputy chief of staff who is expected to take over for Musharraf as head of the army, as well as ministers and intelligence officials. In his letter to the Forward, he said he also met with opposition leaders. Rosen declined further comment.'
With the blessing of Washington, Jack Rosen, chairman of the American Jewish Congress’s Council for World Jewry, traveled halfway across the globe for a face-to-face meeting with Musharraf, who he had hailed two years ago as a courageous leader and driving force in Jewish-Muslim dialogue.
In recent weeks Musharraf has been roundly criticized for declaring emergency rule and cracking down on his opposition, in particular the judiciary. The de facto declaration of martial law has been widely viewed as an effort to preempt a ruling from the Supreme Court that would have invalidated Musharraf’s reelection as president last month.
The Bush administration has been scrambling to flesh out a policy on the newly unstable Pakistan, and has reiterated its support for a key ally in the war on terrorism while urging Musharraf to hold free and fair elections in January. The Pakistani president has indicated that he is ready to proceed with elections, but has so far refused to provide a date for ending the state of emergency he decreed on November 3.
While nearly all major Jewish groups have altogether avoided the issue of Pakistan, Rosen has offered outspoken support for the country’s embattled president.
“The real choice we face is not between Musharraf and a return to an effective democratic system, but between Musharraf and the possible collapse of Pakistan,” Rosen wrote in a letter to the editor appearing in this week’s Forward.
Rosen made the trip to Islamabad after consulting with the State Department and key members of Congress. In addition to Musharraf, he met with General Ashfaq Kiyani, the deputy chief of staff who is expected to take over for Musharraf as head of the army, as well as ministers and intelligence officials. In his letter to the Forward, he said he also met with opposition leaders. Rosen declined further comment.'
Lees verder: http://www.forward.com/articles/12080/
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