Teheran, 21 February 1997 (RFE/RL) - India's Foreign Minister Inder Kumar Gujral today visits Iran with talks expected to focus on the situations in Afghanistan and Central Asia, and on increased India-Iran trade-and-economic cooperation. Iranian natural gas supplies to India are also expected to be discussed.
Iran and India, along with Russia, have been widely reported to have supported the anti-Taleban forces in Afghanistan. In Pakistan yesterday, the United Nations special envoy on Afghanistan, German diplomat Norbert Holl, issued invitations to Afghan factions to participate in another round of talks scheduled next week (Feb. 24) in Islamabad.