Jaswant to discuss Kosovo with Russia

MOSCOW, May 23 (PTI) — The External Affairs Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, will hold wide-ranging talks, including on Kosovo, about which there is a convergence of views between New Delhi and Moscow, with Russian leaders in the next two days.

Mr Jaswant Singh, who arrived here today from Turkmenistan capital Ashgabat on his first visit to Russia as External Affairs Minister, will meet the Russian Federation Security Council Secretary, Mr Bladimir Putin, tomorrow and have talks with his Russian counterpart, Mr Igor S. Ivanov, and the Prime Minister, Mr Sergie Vadimovich Stepashin, the next day.

The visit, immediately after his six-day tour of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, assumes significance as it comes just a week after Sergei E. Prikhodko, special envoy of Russian President Boris Yeltsin, came to Delhi and handed over a letter from Mr Yeltsin to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee.

India and Russia have been demanding immediate cessation of military action by NATO against Yugoslavia and believe that the solution to the problem has to be found through other means.

The Afghanistan situation is also likely to figure during the discussions.

The Minister will also address the Moscow State Institute of International Relations and the Institute of Oriental Studies tomorrow.