Podgorny to stop over in Delhi on way to Hanoi
From Our Special Correspondent, NEW DELHI, Sept. 22.-The President of the USSR. Mr. Podgorny, is breaking his journey here for about a day on his way to Hanoi on October 1. He is heading a delegation to North Vietnam.
The fact that Mr. Podgorny will stay here as an official guest for a day is being interpreted by diplomatic observers as an important event. It forms part of the high-level consultations being carried on between India and the Soviet Union on world issues, including Bangladesh, due to figure in the U. N. General Assembly.
His programme here is yet to be finalised, but certainly it will include talks with the Prime Minister who, by that time will be back from her State visit to the Soviet Union.
Meanwhile, an important diplomat from the Soviet Union, Mr. S. K. Tsarapkin, has been here since yesterday. But his visit is neither sudden nor unexpected as sought to be made out by certain circles in this country.
He is the head of the U. N. Division in the Soviet Foreign Ministry. As such, he has a wide range of subjects to discuss here, now that the U. N. General Assembly has started discussing various issues from today.
The question of world peace and security with particular reference to things prevailing in this part of the world, including India’s own border problems, the European security question and allied things were reported to have been discussed by him here.
Yesterday, he had meeting with Foreign Ministry officials. Today he met Mr. S. K. Banerjee, Secretary (East). He is due to return to Moscow tomorrow.
His visit should not be viewed as an isolated event. This is a part of a chain starting with the visit of Mr. D. P. Dhar, now the Chairman of Policy Planning committee in the External Affairs Committee, which led to a visit by Mr. Gromyko, the Soviet Foreign Minister, last month and the signing of the Indo-Soviet treaty on August 9.
Now Mr. Tsarapkin is here, and he is a top-notch diplomat of the dealing with Disarmament and what not.
And then the Prime Minister of India is paying a State visit to the Soviet Union for three days starting from September 27. After she returns, the Soviet President, Mr. Pedgorny, will be here.
The conclusion is that Indo-Soviet relations are becoming closer and closer.
Reference: Hindustan Standard 23.09.1971