Moscow, Sept 26: Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who was expected to strongly take up the supply of sophisticated weapons by Moscow to New Delhi, failed to keep the date with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. According to a Russian television network, Musharraf never turned up at Putin's New York 'residence' - Hotel Waldorf Astoria on Wednesday keeping his Russian host waiting in vain.
Musharraf blamed the New York Police for failing to provide passage for his motorcade for earlier planned meeting with Putin. The Pakistani mission in us has 'strongly taken up the matter' with the State Department, the TV report said.
At his meeting with Putin in New York, Musharraf was expected to strongly take up the supply of sophisticated Russian weapon systems to India, including state-of-the-art Su-30MKI warplanes and forthcoming deals on the lease and sale of nuclear submarines and Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, diplomatic sources said. However, at his meeting with Musharraf, Putin was planning to focus on key issues like the ISI role in Taliban regrouping in Afghanistan and safety of Pak nuclear assets in view of a powerful terror-infrastructure in Pakistan and significant presence of extremist groups in that country. Bureau Report