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Musharraf discussed his speech
with Colin Powell: Boucher

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf discussed his speech, scheduled for Saturday night, with US Secretary of State Colin Powell in an effort to ensure American support for Islamabad in its dispute with India over cross-border terrorism.

"We look forward to hearing what President Musharraf has to say. The secretary [Powell] has been talking to him about the kinds of steps that he has been taking against extremism and terrorism, the steps he intends to take...the direction he intends to go," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said at Friday's briefing.

"That has been part of our discussions with Pakistan for some time, including the secretary's discussions last time. So yes, we have some idea about what he intends to do and what he intends to say," Boucher said when asked whether Powell had any idea what Musharraf was going to say.

"But, in the end, it is for him to say and for him to announce, for him to do what he decides. We will see what he says when he says it," he added.

The India-Pakistan situation is "dangerous" as there are military forces in close proximity and there is potential for confrontation, Boucher said adding that the US has stressed time and again the importance of political and diplomatic solutions.

PTI

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