MOSCOW, Feb 2: President Pervez Musharraf begins his first visit to Russia on Tuesday aimed at improving relations with a long-standing ally and chief arms supplier of arch-enemy India.

Musharraf will hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a key three-day visit that comes just two weeks before Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha is due in Moscow.

Pakistan last month declared “a new stage” in relations with Russia as it announced the presidential visit, which was first mooted last summer during Putin’s efforts to defuse a nuclear crisis between the South Asian rivals.

Analysts in Moscow said Musharraf’s decision to reach out to Russia was a logical move as Islamabad seeks to reduce its strategic reliance on the United States and contest New Delhi’s overwhelming sway in Moscow.

“Pakistan has a clear interest in courting Russia and obtaining some understanding” over its conflict with India. “It is a very useful visit,” said Andrei Piontkovsky, Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies.

Islamabad’s realignment as a partner in the US-led anti-terrorist coalition since the Sept 11 attacks and Musharraf’s efforts to crack down on radical Islamic groups have promoted a rapprochement with Moscow.

A high-ranking Russian foreign ministry official quoted by the ITAR-TASS news agency as noting approvingly that following Sept 11 “Islamabad carried out reforms that were favourable for Russia’s foreign policy.”

In a demonstration of improving ties, a defence ministry delegation from Pakistan headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Tariq Osman Hyder held groundbreaking talks in Moscow last month on strategic issues.

But Russia remains firmly wedded to its Soviet-era alliance with India, as the largest supplier of Indian military hardware, accounting for more than 70 per cent of army, air force and navy equipment.

“It is difficult for Russia to shift the balance of its relationship with India and Pakistan when it is so unbalanced. The pro-Indian lobby in Russia is very strong and Russia is India’s main arms supplier,” Piontkovsky said.

In late January, Pakistan reacted strongly to India’s new deal with Russia to purchase nuclear-capable submarines and bombers, which would put New Delhi ahead of its regional foe in sea delivery capability.

India the week before announced a deal with Russia to lease four TU-22M3 long-range strategic bombers and two nuclear-propelled Akula class submarines, both of which can deliver nuclear warheads. New Delhi said the deal would be signed in March.

The package, which will include an old 44,500-ton Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, is reported to be worth three billion dollars.

Moscow’s main interest lies in reaping commercial rewards from Musharraf’s overtures, with trade turnover between Russia and Pakistan standing at only 100 million dollars in 2002.

“We hope that President Musharraf’s visit will step up the development of trade and economic relations between Russia and Pakistan,” the Russian foreign ministry official said.

Russia hopes to cooperate in aerospace, in particular the launch of Pakistan satellites aboard Russian rockets and its Gazprom gas monopoly wants to participate in two major gas pipeline projects across Pakistan to India.—AFP