Islamabad, Aug 24: In yet another step towards improving bilateral ties, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov had a telephonic talk with Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri during which the two leaders reviewed the progress of steps taken in recent months to improve relations. The Ivanov phone call last night followed a similar one made by Russian President Vladimir Putin to his counterpart Pervez Musharraf a few days ago. The stepped up contacts between Russia and Pakistan in the recent weeks reportedly related to the initiatives to bring in a new UN Security Council resolution on sending a international peace keeping force to Iraq. Pakistan is currently a member of UN Security Council and Musharraf has committed to send two brigades of troops, but only under a UN or OIC mandate. According to an official release, Kasuri and Ivanov reviewed the progress on the agreements signed between Pakistan and Russia during Musharraf's visit to Moscow recently. Subsequently Ivanov also visited Islamabad.


The Russian Foreign Minister invited Kasuri for a meeting on the sidelines of the forthcoming United Nations general assembly session in New York.


The two leaders also agreed to maintain regular contact to exchange views on bilateral and international issues of mutual interest.


Bureau Report