Signs of Israeli diplomatic thaw with Muslim world

ISTANBUL - Israel has held its first public talks with Pakistan in a diplomatic breakthrough spurred by its Gaza pullout that signalled a possible thaw in relations with longtime foes in the Muslim world.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri said after a high-level meeting in Istanbul that his country had decided to "engage" with Israel after years as one of its harshest critics over its handling of the Palestinian uprising.

Speaking after talks with Kasuri, Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Israel hoped the meeting would "finally lead to a full diplomatic relationship with Pakistan as we would like to see with all Arab countries".

"We made a huge breakthrough today," Shalom said. "We think it will be a very positive signal to Israeli and Palestinian public opinion that there are some fruits from this withdrawal from Gaza."

But Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said Islamabad would not recognise Israel until a Palestinian state was created.

Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Nabil Shaath said it was premature to offer diplomatic "gifts" to Israel. Khaled Meshaal, leader of the militant Hamas group, accused Pakistan of "stabbing the Palestinian people in the back".

Israel has full diplomatic ties with four major Muslim countries -- Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and Mauritania -- and limited interest or trade missions with Morocco, Tunisia and Qatar.

In a further sign of easing tensions, Jordan's King Abdullah was expected to visit Israel as early as next week to underscore his support for the Gaza pullout, a senior Israeli diplomatic source said.

Kasuri said Pakistan, in consultation with the Palestinians and Saudi King Abdullah, had decided to holds talks with Israel because of what it saw as the beginning of the end of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories.

Israel completed evacuating 9,000 settlers from Gaza and the northern West Bank on August 23 under Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan for "disengagement" from conflict with the Palestinians.

- REUTERS