M A I N   N E W S

Clinton to stop in Pakistan
Has telephonic talk with Vajpayee

NEW DELHI, March 7 (PTI) — The US President Mr Bill Clinton, will make a brief stopover in Islamabad on his return from his visit to India later this month, it was officially announced here late tonight.

This was conveyed by Mr Clinton during a fairly long telephonic conversation he had with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Prime Minister’s Press Adviser H.K. Dua said.

The US President explained to Mr Vajpayee his reasons for breaking journey in Pakistan for a ‘brief halt’ on his way back to the USA.

Expressing concern over the recent developments in Islamabad, Mr Vajpayee told Mr Clinton that his visit to Pakistan would be projected by the military regime there as a ‘signal of support’ to it, Mr Dua said.

The Prime Minister conveyed to the US President that that a “warm welcome” awaited him in India.

President Clinton told Mr Vajpayee that his visit would open ‘new chapter’ in Indo-US relations.

Mr Clinton’s visit is scheduled to commence on March 19.

The US President will leave for Bangladesh on March 20 and return to the capital from Dhaka. He will be accorded a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan on March 21.

He is slated to address the joint sittings of both Houses of Parliament on March 22. The same day, he will fly to Agra and Jaipur. Mr Clinton will then proceed to Hyderabad and Mumbai. He will leave India on March 25.

Meanwhile, India today firmly ruled out any mediation by the UN or any third party on the Kashmir issue.

“We see no role for any third party, including the UN, on the Jammu and Kashmir issue,” a Foreign Office spokesman told reporters.

He was asked about reports which quoted US President Bill Clinton as saying that “India should be a permanent member of the UN Security Council along with Brazil and Japan but how to overcome the UN resolution regarding Kashmir was the main obstacle to such action.”

The spokesman said, “Our legitimate claim to permanent membership of the UN Security Council is predicated on a strong objective criteria.”

He said remarks attributed to Mr Clinton had been circulated in the form of a press release by a non-governmental organisation.