LONDON, July 30 (UPI) -- Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto says any power-sharing deal with the Musharraf regime must be in place prior to elections.
Bhutto, who lives in London in self-imposed exile, has been widely reported to have held power-sharing talks last week with Pervez Musharraf as the embattled Pakistani president contends with growing violence in his country. Musharraf is expected to seek another term in Pakistan's elections later this year.
There has been much talk lately that Musharraf wants Bhutto's support for his re-election in exchange for allowing her to return and run for prime minister.
Bhutto did not confirm whether she held direct talks with Musharraf in the United Arab Emirates as reported, but there'd been high-level talks between her Pakistan People's Party and the Musharraf government, the BBC reported Monday.
She said the talks concerned Pakistan's "transfer to democracy." Musharraf, who is also the country's military chief, took power in 1999 after a bloodless coup.
Bhutto also was quoted as saying the talks had stalled over "core issues," such as implementation of any deal prior to the elections and not later.
