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...The move comes as ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is expected to seal a reconciliation deal with the General. We understand the deal would mean that corruption charges against Ms Bhutto would be dropped, opening the way to a possible power-sharing agreement that General Musharraf hopes would add credibility to his government.

So the question today: is this deal good for Pakistan ?

Also today more news from Burma.

The top US diplomat in Burma is to hold talks with the country's leaders, as a UN envoy prepares to brief the Security Council on his recent visit there. Shari Villarosa was invited to meet unspecified leaders and would raise concerns over the military's crackdown on recent protests. The Burmese military ruler has agreed to meet the detained pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, but only on condition she renounces her opposition to the regime and calls for an end to international sanctions. A spokesman for her party, the National League for Democracy, said if the military wanted talks, it should release her first.

What do you think ? Should Aung San Suu Kyi ditch her principles and talk ? Would the outside world continue respecting her ? Would it be her "in" to real power ?

As ever:

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Later, Peter :-)

AND HERE ARE THE EMAILS SOME OF YOU COULDN'T POST AS A COMMENT...

Max

"The Bhutto-Musharraf deal is a joke! Pakistan as it EXSITS today and has been run almost from the beginning is another joke! The 'world' itself is a joke! Shocking views?! The views of an 'Indian' who HAS to be anti-Pakistan!?

Let me enumerate; (also cross-referencing with a recent 'WHYS' programme where Imran Khan spoke):

Some facts:

1) President Pervez Musharraf is the FIRST Mohajir President (Mohajir - is a term used in reference to Muslims from India who fled to Pakistan after the 1947 partition and to their descendants). This fact is NOT liked by the Punjabis of Pakistan or the Sindhis of Pakistan.
2) Nawaz Sharif is a leader of the Punjabis or is a Punjabi from Pakistan.
3) Ms Benazir Bhutto is a leader of the Sindhi's or a Sindhi from Pakistan.
4) The Mohajir's have historically been discriminated against by the other people of Pakistan. This was the genesis of the MQM (Mohajir Qaumi Movement), and is the reason for its continued rise & existence.
5) The bulk of the Mohajir population of Pakistan is concentrated in Karachi.
6) The bulk of the economy of Pakistan is 'in' Karachi. It is almost as if: If Karachi disappears, the bulk of the Pakistani economy disappears or Pakistan disappears!
7) Pakistani's are highly intelligent people. Especially, in the sense that they are definitely NOT less intelligent than anyone else.

Not ONE of these facts was mentioned by Mr. Imran Khan when he spoke on 'WHYS', or by anyone else for that matter. These facts are important because they determine the dynamics of the political situation in Pakistan. Similar facts determine the political situation in every country.

Some questions:

a) Are Ms. Benazir Bhutto & Mr. Nawaz Sharif the ONLY intelligent Pakistani's in the world? Are they the ONLY people who can claim to be leaders of Pakistan?
b) Looks as though they are; otherwise why does the question of 'dropping corruption charges', even arise?
c) Both Ms. Benazir Bhutto & Mr. Nawaz Sharif have been the Prime Minister, at least, twice (please correct me if incorrect). How many more chances do they need to prove their capabilities? Do they have any interest in the welfare of the ordinary people of Pakistan?
d) Or, are they only interested to get back into power so that they can make more money and help their core support groups also make more money through corrupt or unethical or unfair means?
e) A Mohajir friend of mine likened the period of rule of the 'Benazir-Sharif' duo as a revolving door democracy. One party goes out, the other gets in and BOTH are equally corrupt! Pervez Musharraf took power & the revolving door stopped! Was he telling me the facts?
f) Why are large numbers of well-educated as well as uneducated Pakistani's emigrating to almost every country in the world by legal or illegal means? If their Government(s) was/were taking the country forward, at least in an economic sense, these Pakistani's might very well stay in, and flourish in Pakistan.
g) Is this whole jig being enacted for the sake of democracy in Pakistan OR is the enactment a desperate attempt to keep the nuclear arsenal of Pakistan in known hands rather than, perhaps or definitely, allowing it to fall into the hands of the Muslim fundamentalists?

If you like to solve cryptic crossword puzzles (which I do, though I am just above average) then you may read between the lines and find out why:
- the deal is a joke
- Pakistan is a joke
- the world is a joke.

Just by the way, some of the interplays mentioned above apply to India, as well as other countries and..."

Considering that the Bush envoy, Richard Armitage, threatened to bomb Pakistan back into the stone age, what is the actual real possibility that the people of Pakistan will be allowed any chance at a real and free democracy when they are all living under constant threat from US President Bush?

Kirk Wentzel, USA

I think anything that gets Pakistan moving toward a more free society and moving away from Military rule would be a good thing. It's not a perfect solution but perhaps it's a start. I doubt there exists a "perfect" solution because the sides are too polarized.

John Anthony, Oregon, USA

Listening to the proposal of power sharing gives me a very bad feeling. It's like hearing a fox inviting a chicken to help it guard the henhouse.

Andrew, Australia

But look at the past range of leaders and you will see that Pakistan has not benefitted from an honest leader. Bhutto has been widely accused of corruption as was Nawaz Shariff. Musharraf is labelled a dictator so it seems that no matter who is running Pakistan there will always be someone from the ruling elite acting in their own interests above the nation. As for democracy and elections, no matter how transparent an election could be the principal figures up for the top post will enivatbly come from that same pool of ruling elite and will be tainted by corruption - it is just the way it is in Pakistan.

Andrew Viens, Vermont, USA

I think that it is quite obvious what the president of Pakistan, Musharrif is doing by saying that he will not give up his military post until after he wins the election. As a man who took power in a military coupe he has no intention of giving up the instrument of rise to power. He intends to stay in power using the military if he looses his reelection bid and if he does win he will ignore the promise to give up his uniform like he did last time.

John - Salem, Oregon

Aung San Suu Kyi doesn’t need to talk to the junta. The condition that she renounce sanctions is proof that sanctions are workingl