The Hindu : Musharraf to visit Russia on Feb. 4

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 18, 2003

International

International

Musharraf to visit Russia on Feb. 4

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Jan. 17. After months of speculation it is final now.

The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, is to pay a three-day official visit to Russia from February 4 on the invitation of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin.

It is no ordinary visit from the South Asian point of view. Though Pakistan and Russia are not on the best of terms, the very fact that Gen. Musharraf would be the first Pakistan President to travel to Moscow after the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1989 is significant. According to Khalid Mahmud, research analyst, Institute of Regional Studies, Islamabad, Gen. Musharraf's visit to Russia signifies the first serious attempt by Pakistan in years to normalise its ties with Moscow.

``The Taliban factor was undoubtedly a major stumbling block in normalisation of ties between Pakistan and Russia.

The collapse of Taliban in Afghanistan and the desire in some official quarters in Pakistan to look at alternative source of support could prove helpful in putting the Pakistan-Russia relations on a more even path'', Dr. Mahmud told The Hindu.

Pakistan is fully conscious of the continuing `special' relationship between New Delhi and Moscow. Evidence, if any required, was evident during the recent visit of Mr. Putin to New Delhi and the joint declaration issued at the end of visit. However, it did not go unnoticed among observers that Islamabad chose to be mild in its reaction to the Delhi Declaration of December 5. In a carefully-drafted statement, Pakistan expressed disappointment over what it termed the "unwarranted and unbalanced'' references to Pakistan in the Delhi Declaration signed by the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and Mr. Putin.The Pakistan Foreign Office came down heavily on India saying it did not expect anything better from "chauvinist Indian leaders" but chose to be relatively soft on Russia.The Foreign Office statement indicates that Pakistan does not want to antagonise Moscow.

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