Russia has urged Pakistan to extradite some of the Chechan rebels, which are hiding in Pakistan. Islamabad, however, has denied presence of such people in Pakistan. Well placed sources in the government said that the request was made by the Special Envoy of Russian President Sergey Yastrzhembsky during his meeting with the Foreign and Interior Ministers in Islamabad on Tuesday. Sergey Yastrzhembsky is in Pakistan for a two-day visit and would deliver a special message from the Russian President Putin to General Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday, a Pakistani paper reported. After his arrival the Russian Special Envoy held a series of meetings with civil and military officials in the Pak Capital including with the Foreign Minister and the Interior Minister, the paper said. Sergey called on Abdul Sattar and Moin-ud-Din Haider,the ministers in military regime, and discussed bilateral relations, regional situation, including the situation in Afghanistan and Central Asia and international matters of mutual interest. The discussions also focused on strengthening of bilateral relations in the fields of trade, communication, scientific and technological co-operation. The meetings were held in a cordial and constructive atmosphere. The Russian Special Envoy’s not a routine bilateral visit, particularly in the wake of developments in Afghanistan and Russian President’s forthcoming visit to India next month. For Pakistani officials it is a positive follow-up of Musharraf, Putin meeting in New York early this morning. This already demonstrates a change in Moscow’s policy towards Pakistan which had touched its lowest ebb during the last three years.
Bureau Report