New Delhi, May 8
Firm indications that the Indo-Pak bonhomie is here to stay were available today as New Delhi decided not to oppose Pakistan’s entry into the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
Sources today said India’s stand on opposition to Islamabad’s entry into ARF was softened after Pakistan gave a written assurance to Indonesia — the current ARF Chairman — that it would not raise bilateral contentious issue, including Jammu and Kashmir, at the meetings of the grouping.
The Indonesian Foreign Minister had recently conveyed the Pakistani assurance to External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha following which the Government of India was understood to have taken the decision of not opposing Pakistan’s entry in the ARF.
