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Annan to visit India, Pak, Bangladesh next month

A wide range of issues including Kashmir is likely to figure in the talks United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan will hold with leaders of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh during his maiden visit to the sub-continent beginning early next month.

The agenda for talks with Indian leaders includes issues ranging from world peace and security, peacekeeping operations and terrorism to financing for development, UN reforms and expansion of the Security Council, officials and diplomats at the United Nations said Monday.

Kashmir too is expected to be on the agenda but sources say Annan is likely to press for bilateral talks as his position on the issue is that he would not intervene unless both sides demand it.

The question of humanitarian interventions, advocated by the UN and some other members of the council, is also likely to come up, they said.

Though details of the visit were still being worked out between UN officials and diplomats of the three countries, Pakistan will be the first stop of his visit likely to begin on March 8, the sources said.

From Pakistan, Annan will go to Bangladesh where he will spend a day and then to India on March 14 or 15 for a three-day visit before returning on March 18.

Since Annan will visit Pakistan prior to India, he is expected to apprise the Indian leaders of his talks with military ruler General Pervez Musharraf and others, officials added.

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