No soccer diplomacy with Afghan delegation: Chandy

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IANS Thiruvananthapuram
Last Updated : Jan 03 2016 | 6:28 PM IST

There will no "soccer diplomacy" with the 200-strong Afghan delegation watching the final of the 10th South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Cup final between India and Afghanistan here on Sunday evening, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said.

"I was not supposed to witness the final match, as I was to travel from Kottayam tonight to north Kerala. It was yesterday (Saturday) evening that the news of the visit of the Afghan delegation became clear," Chandy told IANS.

The Afghan delegation includes eight ministers.

While he will be in the stadium, Chandy said: "There isn't going to be any sort of talks at all with the delegation. We might just shake hands and say hello."

Chandy said he will travel by train to north Kerala after the match.

The Afghan delegation arrived on a special aircraft and Chandy said they will return soon after the match.

On account of their visit, security has been tightened at the stadium.

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First Published: Jan 03 2016 | 6:24 PM IST

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