The enemy of my enemy

The visit by President Pervez Musharraf to Australia is the first by a Pakistani head of state. It provides a valuable opportunity for the two sides to strengthen co-operation on counter-terrorism and trade fronts, not least because the Pakistani leader is a critical partner of the United States in its war on terrorism. The visit should also provide an important occasion for the Howard Government to reflect on Pakistan's past misdeeds and remain critically mindful of its future. Musharraf has certainly led his country down the path of more domestic stability and constructive foreign policy behaviour than anyone could have anticipated when he seized power through a military coup in October 1999. This has been largely due to a foreign policy turnaround that he made after the tragic events of September 11, 2001.