MOSCOW: Soviet foreign minister Eduard Shevardnadze, responding to New Delhi’s concern over Pakistan’s support to secessionists in Kashmir, has said the Soviet Union condemned foreign interference in any form in the affairs of India.
Shevardnadze emphasized to visiting Indian foreign secretary S.K Singh here Saturday the invariability of the Soviet Union’s course towards all round development and strengthening of cooperation with democratic, peace loving India.
Singh delivered to Shevardnadze a personal letter from Indian Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh to Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.
Soviet news agency Tass said ‘Singh described the political situation in India, giving special attention to the aggravation of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
The news agency said Singh pointed to India’s concern over Pakistan’s policy of supporting the secessionists, its actions to destabilize the situation in the state and Islamabad’s official statements which by no means promote the normalization of relations between the two countries.
It was emphasized that Pakistan’s actions fully contradict the spirit and letter of the Simla agreement under which differences between the two sides should be settled by peaceful means, the agency said.
Singh reaffirmed the determination of the government and people of India to defend sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, Tass said, adding the Soviet side stated that it condemned foreign interference in any form in the affairs of India.
Singh arrived here on Friday and met on the same day first deputy foreign minister Yuli VorontSOV.
NEW DELHI. The Soviet Union has expressed its full support for India’s unity and integrity and stressed that it always considered the state of Jammu and Kashmir an integral part of India.
Condemning the foreign interference in India’s internal affairs, the Soviet side reaffirmed its determination to strengthen cooperation with New Delhi in various fields during foreign secretary S.K. Singh’s just concluded three day visit to Moscow.
Singh visited the Soviet Union as part of a diplomatic initiative launched by New Delhi to counter what India termed as a “virulent disinformation campaign” by Pakistan on Jammu and Kashmir.
The foreign secretary, who returned here this morning, had held several rounds of talks with Soviet foreign minister Eduard Shevardnadze, and first deputy foreign minister Yuli Vorontsov.
An external affairs ministry spokesman said the Indo Soviet talks were characterized by warmth and friendship.
Singh gave a detailed account of the current political situation in India with a special reference to the recent developments in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Soviet side explained that “its position on Jammu and Kashmir has always been what it is today — the state is an integral part of India,” the spokesman said.
Shevardnadze said over the years India and the Soviet Union had built up a remarkable degree of faith which both the countries found most useful.
‘The Soviet side pointed out that over the last 40 years Moscow had dealt with various governments in New Delhi and always achieved identical levels of cooperation, trust and friendship.
‘The foreign secretary handed a letter from Prime Minister VP Singh addressed to Mikhail Gorbachev to Shevardnandze, as the Soviet President was not in Moscow.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 9, 1990
