KARACHI: There is a move for a Treaty of Friendship between the People’s Republic of China and Pakistan. Reliable sources said yesterday that the initiative for the proposed treaty was taken recently by Peking.

Details are lacking and no official confirmation of the move is available, but the sources believe that, while accepting Pakistan’s proposal for demarcation of Azad Kashmir’s border with Sinkiang, China either suggested or broadly indicated that it is willing to enter into a Treaty of Friendship with Pakistan.

It was early in March that China had accepted Pakistan’s proposal for the demarcation of the border. Early this month, the two countries announced that they had agreed to open negotiations for this purpose. If they have not already begun, negotiations between the two countries are about to begin at a diplomatic level in Karachi and Peking for paving the way for the next stage of demarcation talks when a delegation from Pakistan may visit Peking.

Present indications are that the demarcation agreement, when it is ready, may be signed at the highest level. One interpretation of these indications can be that Mr Chou En-lai, who had visited Pakistan in 1956, may again come to this country.

Meanwhile, a Peking Radio Broadcast heard in Rawalpindi last night said that China had offered economic aid to Pakistan. — Special Representative

US astronaut returns

CAPE CANAVERAL: Commander Malcolm Scott Carpenter, the third American astronaut, yesterday orbited the earth three times and landed in sea safely. The astronaut appeared to be sitting comfortably on his raft floating in the Caribbean. — Agencies