ISLAMABAD, Dec 29, Reuter: A smiling Rajiv Gandhi arrived in Islamabad on Thursday for the first Visit to Pakistan by an Indian Prime Minister in 28 years and for talks expected to herald a new relationship between the two countries,
Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, also smiling, greeted Gandhi as he left the Indian Air Force Boeing 727 which brought him from New Delhi, and walked him to his car,
It was the first meeting between a mew, generation of Indian and Pakistan leaders without memories of the bloodshed caused by the Partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, when both nations became independent of Britain.
“Welcome to Pakistan,” said Bhutto, 35, who became the first Woman to lead a Moslem nation earlier this month. Both leaders declined to speak to reporters.
Gandhi, 44, and Bhutto were expected to have at least two private meetings during the three-day summit of the south Asian Association for regional cooperation (SAARC), which was due to start in the Pakistan Capital later on Thursday.
Indian Foreign office sources said earlier Gandhi was carrying proposals for a better relationship between the two nations, which have fought three wars since Independence.
Officials from both countries said on Thursday the two would discuss possible military agreements to reduce tension along their border.
They said one element would be to keep military exercises, which have caused war scares in the past, well away from the border. However, they added that the issue was immensely complicated and it would be overly optimistic to expect a major breakthrough.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 6, 1989
