UNITED NATIONS: UN SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN WELCOMES TALKS BETWEEN PAKISTAN AND INDIA

Record ID: 677720

  • Title: UNITED NATIONS: UN SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN WELCOMES TALKS BETWEEN PAKISTAN AND INDIA
  • Date: 6th January 2004
  • Summary: (U7) UNITED NATIONS (FILE) (REUTERS) WIDE OF EXTERIOR OF UNITED NATIONS BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 21st January 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: UNITED NATIONS
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA1K1BRM9RJYVB703D4Y5C6S3XP
  • Story Text: U.N chief Kofi Annan welcomes breakthrough on talks
    between India and Pakistan, calling it "wonderful news".



    Arriving at United Nations headquarters Tuesday
    (January 6)U.N Secretary General Kofi Annan hailed the
    breakthrough agreement reached between nuclear-armed India
    and Pakistan.

    U.N Secretary General Kofi Annan hailed the breakthrough
    agreement reached between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan.


    Indian Prime Minister Atal Vajpayee and Pakistan's
    President Pervez Musharraf announced they would hold formal
    talks and both expressed confidence about settling their
    dispute over Kashmir.

    Annan lauded the renewed contacts between the two
    nations, calling it "wonderful news" adding that "I am sure
    Prime Minister Vajpayee and President Musharraf will find
    the statesmanship, the leadership and the wisdom to move
    the process forward."
    He also said that "Improved relations between the two
    countries would mean a lot for the region, not just in
    terms of reducing political tensions, but also in economic
    and social terms, and it would be beneficial to all the
    smaller countries in the region"
    The meeting on Monday between Vajpayee and Musharraf
    was their first in more than two years. India accuses
    Pakistan of arming and training militants fighting in
    Indian Kashmir, and has refused to talk until it had
    evidence Pakistan was no longer backing "cross-border
    terrorism". Pakistan denies fuelling the militancy and
    accuses India of major human rights abuses in Kashmir.

    Secretary General Kofi Annan also spoke briefly about
    an upcoming meeting at U.N headquarters with delegates from
    the Iraqi Governing Council, the Coalition Provisional
    Authority and senior U.N members. Annan said he hoped
    senior delegates from the U.S administration would also
    attend, but as yet, there is no word from the White House
    whether diplomats will attend the January 19 meeting.
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