Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said on Wednesday that his nation must recognize Israel "eventually," but that doing so now would "sideline [Pakistan] from the Muslim world." Delivering a speech in New York, Musharraf reiterated his contention that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was at the center of all conflicts in the Middle East. According to Musharraf, recognizing Israel would prevent Pakistan from being a bridge between the Muslim world and the West, a role the Pakistani president sees for himself.