Moscow approves of West's support for Pakistan

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, NOV. 4. As the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, headed for Russia, Moscow voiced support for Western aid to Pakistan and urged Delhi and Islamabad to show nuclear restraint.

The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Alexander Losyukov, told the Interfax news agency that the assistance Pakistan was receiving from the U.S. and other countries was ``justified'', even though it caused ``certain nervousness'' in India.

``We believe that Pakistan needs support in the situation obtaining today,'' Mr. Losyukov said. The statement reflects Moscow's concern that General Pervez Musharraf's support for the U.S.-led military operation against the Taliban may provoke a fundamentalist backlash in Pakistan.

Interfax also quoted the Russian diplomat as saying that ``it is necessary to urge India and Pakistan to display restraint on the issues of further nuclear weapons tests and non- proliferation of nuclear and missile technologies''.

``When the situation is defused India and Pakistan must take reciprocal steps to remove tension and find peaceful negotiated solutions,'' the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister said.

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Section  : International
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