ISLAMABAD, Feb. 1, Reuter: Pakistan said today Foreign Minister Sahabzada Yaqub Khan will have talks with Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Shevardnadze in Moscow later this week aimed at promoting a political settlement in Afghanistan.
A Foreign Ministry statement said the talks on February 67 were part of a continuing dialogue between the two countries, bitterly divided over Afghanistan since Moscow sent troops there in 1979 to help a fledgling Marxist government fight Western backed guerrillas.
It said the visit, at Shevardnadze’s invitation, “is expected to help in creating greater mutual
Understanding and achieving progress towards promoting a political settlement of the Afghanistan problem”.
The visit was agreed last month during talks here between Soviet First Deputy Foeign Minister, Anatoly Kovalyev and Pakistani officials following an Afghan government New Year peace offer rejected by Pakistan based guerrilla groups.
A Pakistani spokesman said at the time no progress had been made over the timetable for a Soviet troop withdrawal following any settlement.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have been discussing a settlement at United Nations sponsored indirect talks in Geneva since 1982.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 6, 1987
