June 12, 2003	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 11, 1424

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MOSCOW, June 11: Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov will press Pakistan on its alleged nuclear ties with North Korea and relations with extremist religious groups during this month’s tour of Asia, a top official said on Wednesday.

Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov said alleged nuclear links between Islamabad and Pyongyang “could be touched upon during Igor Ivanov’s negotiations with the Pakistani leadership.”

But Mr Losyukov added that both Pakistan and North Korea were “denying any contacts or ties in this sphere” and that Moscow did not expect Islamabad’s official line to change during Mr Ivanov’s visit.

Mr Ivanov will arrive in Islamabad on Sunday before travelling to India the following day.

On June 16, Mr Ivanov will head to Cambodia to catch the second day of a two-day meeting of foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

“We cannot remain indifferent to the fact that radical Islamic organizations in Pakistan are very active,” Mr Losyukov told reporters.

“This affects the situation in Afghanistan and Indo-Pakistani relations, and this problem spread to Russia’s territory as well,” said Mr Losyukov, in apparent reference to Arabs fighting Russian troops in Chechnya.

He added that Pakistan’s former support for the fallen Taliban regime in Afghanistan “would be one of the main issues discussed” during Mr Ivanov’s visit to Islamabad.—AFP