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Holbrooke to consult European leaders on Af-Pak, skips India

November 13, 2009 13:15 IST

Special US Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke will be travelling to Europe to consult leaders in Germany, France and Russia, before proceeding to Kabul to attend the inauguration of Hamid Karzai for his second term as Afghanistan's president.

However, New Delhi does not fall in his current itinerary.

Holbrooke had earlier announced that he would be travelling to India, along with Afghanistan.

There was no official reason for the top US diplomat to not travel to New Delhi, a visit which has been pending since July.

"He (Holbrooke) is currently travelling to Berlin. He will be in Paris tomorrow, in Munich on November 14, and then next week he will be in Moscow," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told mediapersons at his daily news briefing.

"These (visits) are for consultations with government officials and his special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan counterparts," Kelly said.

"These routine meetings are part of continued efforts to stay in close touch with allies and partners on Afghanistan and Pakistan. He will then travel to Afghanistan for the inauguration of President Hamid Karzai," Kelly said.
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