'Tension may rise if Clinton skips Pak.'

By Amit Baruah

ISLAMABAD, FEB. 3. The Pakistani Chief Executive, Gen. Parvez Musharraf, told the National Security Council that if the U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton, skipped Pakistan during his visit to South Asia, it would escalate tension in the region, the Urdu daily Jang, reported today.

According to the report, the General hoped that the U.S. would respect ``ground realities.''

In a similar vein, the Pakistani Foreign Office has stated that the absence of Pakistan from Mr. Clinton's itinerary was regrettable and a setback to peace and stability in the region.

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Section  : International
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