Date : 01/01/2002
PAKISTAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT CHINA
ISLAMABAD, JAN 1 (KUNA) -- PAKISTAN PRESIDENT PERVEZ MUSHARRAF IS TO LEAVE
FOR BEIJING ON THURSDAY FOR TALKS WITH CHINESE LEADERS ON BORDER TENSION WITH
INDIA, A FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL TOLD JOURNALISTS TODAY.
"PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF WILL HOLD TALKS WITH CHINESE PRIME MINISTER ZHU RONGJI
ON THURSDAY. HE WILL ALSO ATTEND A BANQUET BEING HOSTED BY THE CHINESE PREMIER
FOR HIM AT THE GREAT HALL," THE OFFICIAL SAID.
AFTER AN OVERNIGHT STAY IN CHINA HE WILL FLY TO KATHMANDU ON FRIDAY MORNING
TO ATTEND A SUMMIT OF THE SEVEN-NATION SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL
COOPERATION (SAARC).
MUSHARRAF'S TALKS WITH CHINESE LEADERS WILL FOCUS ON BILATERAL RELATIONS AS
WELL AS ON TENSION BETWEEN PAKISTAN AND INDIA FOLLOWING THE BLOODY DECEMBER 13
ATTACK ON THE INDIAN PARLIAMENT, THE OFFICIAL SAID.
INDIA HAS SAID IT WOULD ALLOW MUSHARRAF TO FLY OVER ITS TERRITORY EN ROUTE
TO THE SUMMIT IF A REQUEST IS MADE.
BUT OFFICIALS HERE SAID THE PRESIDENT DID NOT WANT TO ACCEPT AN OFFER THAT
WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO OTHER PAKISTANIS. (END)
SJA.BS
KUNA 011858 Jan 02NNNN