Musharraf says India is 'holding peace hostage'

General Pervez Musharraf, the President of Pakistan, accused India of holding peace hostage through its "belligerence", and called for Delhi to hold talks to prevent another war between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly, General Musharraf said: "Today peace in South Asia is hostage to one accident, one act of terrorism, one strategic miscalculation by India." He said India and Pakistan, which have fought three wars, should reduce forces on their border, observe a ceasefire along the line of control, which divides the disputed territory of Kashmir, and halt what he called "state terrorism" against Kashmiris.

"Pakistan will not start a conflict with India. But if a war is thrust upon us, we shall exercise our right to self defence fully and effectively," he said.

There was no response from India, but Delhi has said talks would be useless until Pakistan stops arming and harbouring Islamic terrorists. The Indian Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is due to addresses the General Assembly today.

General Musharraf said the campaign against terrorism must not be used to undermine genuine freedom struggles or malign Islam. He said one such struggle was by Muslims seeking freedom for Kashmir. "It is not religion which impels a terrorist act; it is often a sense of frustration and powerlessness to redress persistent injustice," he said. India had "de-legitimised"Kashmir's freedom struggle, he claimed.