Moscow warns Pakistan

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, NOV. 17. Moscow has warned ``certain countries'' against pushing their narrow interests in Afghanistan.

The Russian news agencies quoted Russia Foreign Minister, Mr. Igor Ivanov, as saying that ``certain countries'' were trying to get their proteges appointed to a new government in Afghanistan.

``We believe this is a dangerous attempt which can aggravate contradictions inside Afghanistan,'' Mr. Ivanov said, adding that differences among foreign players in Afghanistan could provoke a new civil war in Afghanistan.

Informed sources in Moscow said that Mr. Ivanov had above all Pakistan in mind when speaking of ``certain countries'' trying to gain unilateral advantages in Afghanistan.

The sources said the Russian President, Mr. Vladimir Putin, had pressed his U.S. counterpart, Mr. George Bush, to take a harder line on Pakistan during their summit at Crawford in Texas last week.

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Section  : International
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