ISLAMABAD Feb. 29, Reuter: Prime Minister Mohammad Khan Junejo announced on Monday that Pakistan had told neighboring India not to send an emissary to Islamabad yet to discuss Afghanistan, the official APP news agency said.
Indian Foreign Secretary K.P.S. Menon was due to arrive in Islamabad on Tuesday as Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s emissary only a day before Pakistan is to resume U.N. sponsored peace talks with the Soviet backed Afghan government in Geneva.
Menon’s visit was announced ‘on Saturday after Pakistani President Mohammad ZIA-UL-Haq turned down an invitation from Gandhi to visit New Delhi.
But APP said Junejo told reporters in the Punjab province capital Lahore that Indian had been told not to send Menon yet, since Pakistani Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zain Noorani and Foreign Secretary Abdul Sattar would not be available.
Both men left for Geneva on Monday for the Afghan talks, and Junejo said India was told Pakistan would discuss Menon’s visit later.
Pakistan is suspicious of recent moves by its traditional rival India to involve itself in the Afghan peace process. ”
Article extracted from this publication >> March 4, 1988
