BRUSSELS, Belgium — President Pervez Musharraf promised Monday that Pakistan will hold fair elections next month and urged the West to be more patient with his nation’s efforts to achieve higher standards of human rights.
He also sought to ease worries about Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal as Islamic extremists step up their fight with his government, insisting that tight security would prevent the weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists.
“We have a multilayer custodial and command system,” Musharraf told the European Parliament as he began an eight-day European trip by meeting with senior EU and NATO officials.
Musharraf said Pakistan is a largely tribal society struggling to be a democracy and taking on the role of a front-line player in the global fight against terrorism.
European Union foreign-policy chief Javier Solana said after meeting with Musharraf that Feb. 18 parliamentary elections must be “free, fair and secure” and that their conduct would determine the bloc’s relationship and engagement with Pakistan.
