Reporter's Notebook: Dispatch From World Economic Forum in Davos

DAVOS, Switzerland <br/>Jan. 24, 2008&#151; -- As usual, 2,500 of the world's biggest players, with even bigger egos, all gathered in a secluded Swiss ski resort for the world economic forum.

Thursday morning's event kicked off with a session, titled "a unified Earth theory; combining solutions to extreme poverty and the climate crisis," moderated by — you guessed it — rock star humanitarian Bono and Nobel Laureate Al Gore.

They gave harsh and blunt statements about the increased need for international efforts to eliminate extreme poverty, and to solve the climate crisis. They accused Western developed nations of not doing enough.

Two hours later, Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf entered the center for a session entitled "Three crucial questions for the president of Pakistan."

One question many people were asking was, "Where is the rest of his security detail?" Though Davos, itself, is heavily secured with Swiss and other local police, all major world figures come with their own security entourages. Musharraf seemed to be accompanied by only two or three as he passed.

Meanwhile, the session itself, chaired by Henry Kissinger, got heated at times. Here's a forum press release on the session's details:

Davos, Switzerland, 23 January 2008 — President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan said today he will try to ensure the parliamentary elections on 18 February will be safe, as well as fair. But he also said international audiences should not judge Pakistan's political system by inapplicable standards.

He was taking part in a panel at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2008 along with Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq Barham Salih and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan.

The session began with an expression of partnership and cooperation in resolving instability as Presidents Musharraf and Karzai shook hands on stage.

Musharraf told participants: "The election must be fair, free and transparent. And I have added a new word — we will make sure they will be peaceful."

Asked later about last year's firing of the chief justice of Pakistan's Supreme Judicial Court — the entity that would also resolve any questions about election fraud — Musharraf urged his audience not to impose on Pakistan "misperceived ideas of human rights or western views of human rights." He appealed, "Please look at Pakistan from Pakistan's eyes, and not from anybody else's eyes. We also believe in [these ideals], but give us some time," he added, pointing to a number of regulations his government instituted to ensure election fairness.