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Russian-Afghan Talks to Focus on Aid VOA News 4 Feb 2002 01:28 UTC 
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov is in Kabul Monday for talks with Afghan interim leader Hamid Karzai.
Discussions are expected to focus on how Moscow can contribute to the reconstruction of the war-torn country.
Mr. Ivanov - the highest level Russian official to visit Afghanistan since the fall of the Taleban - has said Russia could provide humanitarian, political and economic help. He is also meeting with other members of the Afghan interim government before leaving for Moscow later in the day.
The Russian foreign minister arrived in Kabul from two days of talks in India, focusing on military cooperation and the fight against international terrorism.
After talks in New Delhi between Mr. Ivanov and his Indian counterpart, Jaswant Singh, the two sides issued a joint statement saying they agreed that Pakistan's commitment to fighting terrorism can be judged only by the actions it takes. The statement calls for the current standoff between India and Pakistan to be resolved peacefully.
During his visit, Mr. Ivanov also met with Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes and opposition leader Sonia Gandhi.
Some information for this report provided by AP.
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