MOSCOW: The official Soviet news agency Tass confirmed today [Sept 25] that Russia had an atomic weapon and said that it had had the secret since 1947. But it said there were `not the slightest grounds for alarm`, and that Russia still favoured prohibiting the use of the atomic bomb. The agency said the Russian atomic explosion reported by the British and American Governments concerned the large-scale building works now in progress in Russia with the use of the latest blasting techniques. News agencies [Meanwhile, according to Dawn`s correspondent in Cairo,] A great sensation was caused ... here because of a statement of the new Indian Ambassador in which he said that he believed relations between Pakistan and Arab countries were not strong to the extent of forming a bloc. The Indian Ambassador further said: India is established on Gandhi`s ideals, while Pakistan pays great consideration to religion. This happens at a time when modern states differentiate between religion and politics. ...

A big religious divine in Al-azhar commented: `A Muslim diplomat should not have compared Islamic and other ideals ...

especially in a country like Egypt, where Islam is the official religion.