From: gnreddy@cbnewsf.att.com (G.Narotham Reddy)
Subject: Sports - India's Geeth Sethi wins
Organization: AT&T
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 92 20:56:12 GMT


Source	: The CGI
Date	: Oct 1, 1992
Country	: India and Pakistan

Topics:
* Kashmir is non-negotiable - Indian Premier asserts
* Geeth Sethi wins in style	

                                * * * * * 

* Kashmir is non-negotiable - Indian Premier asserts

Paris: Oct 1, 1992: The Indian Prime Minister Mr.P.V.Narasimha Rao on 
Wednesday asserted that Kashmir is non-negotiable as it is and has always 
been an integral part of India. He further warned that Pakistan's claim 
over this sensitive border state challenges the very basis of India's 
secular character.
	"India is a secular state and can not allow determination of
states on narrow religious considerations because we believe in the
welfare of humanity as a whole and not of any particular religion",
Rao asserted.
	Rao was fielding queries at a meeting organized by the French
Institute of International Relations here in Paris.
	He told the audience mainly French policy makers and intellectuals 
that India was a "non-aggressive" state and had never annexed any territory.
On the contrary it has been attacked several times, and has therefore, 
to defend its frontiers.
	Referring to the bilateral disputes with Pakistan, Rao said
all outstanding issues with Pakistan could be resolved through peaceful
parleys.
	"We are not going to fight each other", he said. adding that
he has held five rounds of talks with his counter part Nawaz Sharif.
	Rao said "I will continue talking until our meetings become 
a non-issue". He however, pointed out that his talks with Sharif covered
several issues and did not hover around only contentious issues.
	He said he was hopeful of normalizing relations with Pakistan
and the process had already begun with minor hurdles here and there.
May be a time will come when India and Pakistan will work together on
various issues, he said.
	Rao also expended on the normalization of Sino-Indian
relations and said the border dispute between the two countries was also
been discussed by a joint working group.
	He said since former premier Rajiv Gandhi's visit to Beijing
there had been a turn about in Sino-Indian relations and the
Sino-Indian borders is quite, and minor irritants were being amicably
resolved. 
	Regarding India's relation with the Commonwealth of independent 
states, Rao said there had been transitional uncertainity but India would 
soon be able to restructure its relations with all the Republics.


* Geeth Sethi wins in style	

World's number one Geethi Sethi dazzled with his cue but his compatriots 
Nalin Patel and Manoj Khotari cut a sorry figure in the Gold Flake world
professional billiards championship here in Bombay.
	The 31 year old two time old amateur champion showed ominous
touch and gave off warning signals to the likes of defending
champion Mike Russell of England and Robby Foldvary of Australia, the
two other impressive performers in the championship, that he is a
strong contender for the top prize of 5,000 Pound Sterlings.
	Sethi led compatriot Khotari, the world amateur champion by
724 points which included a super fast brake off 245 in just over 11 
minutes with the help of some excellent top of the table play. The 
double century run on his 27th visit followed earlier impressive sequences 
of 94 and 133.
	Nalin Patel went down tamely 693-1, 487 to English veteran
Bob close in another first round match. Patel's exit meant that only
one Indian would be left in the fray.
	The 53 year old Close, a three time UK amateur champion used
the cushions judiciously to play cannons and was impressive in playing
in-off from difficult angels.
	Close semi-final opponent would in all probability be Sethi.

                               * E N D *
Newsgroups: misc.news.southasia