DATE=8/21/2000 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=PAKISTAN / JAPAN (L ONLY) NUMBER=2-265696 BYLINE=AYAZ GUL DATELINE=ISLAMABAD INTERNET=YES CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: Japan's prime minister, Yoshiro Mori, has concluded a two-day official visit to Pakistan. In his talks with country's leader, General Pervez Musharraf, Mr. Mori urged Pakistan to resume peace talks with rival India to ease tensions in South Asia and to sign an international nuclear test ban treaty. From Islamabad, Ayaz Gul reports. TEXT: Pakistani and Japanese officials are describing the talks between Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and General Mussharraf as fruitful and productive. They say the issues of nuclear non-proliferation and strained relations between India and Pakistan dominated the discussions. A Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman, Riaz Mohammed Khan, says the Japanese prime minister was strongly in favor of the resumption of a dialogue between India and Pakistan to settle their long-standing dispute over Kashmir. /// KHAN ACT ONE /// Prime Minister Mori expressed the hope for an early resumption of Pakistan-India dialogue to address and resolve the difficult issue of Kashmir. He said that he would also call on India to resume dialogue when he visits that country. /// END ACT /// Japan has been the largest aid donor and a major trading partner of Pakistan. It suspended new economic aid to both India and Pakistan following their nuclear tests two years ago. Since then Japan has told the two rival nations it will consider resuming the aid if they sign the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty, or CTBT. The foreign ministry spokesman says his country has no difficulty with the CTBT, but it needs time to build a "national consensus" on its signing. He says General Musharraf assured the Japanese prime minister that Pakistan will not resume nuclear testing unless India does so first. /// KHAN ACT TWO /// The (Pakistan) Chief Executive (General Pervez Musharraf) affirmed that Pakistan will act in the most responsible manner expected of any country in nuclear matters. /// END ACT /// The Japanese prime minister is due to hold similar discussions with Indian leaders when he visits India on Tuesday. He began his trip in Bangladesh last week and will end it with a stop in Nepal. Mr. Mori is the first Japanese leader to visit South Asia since 1990. (Signed) NEB/AG/KL 21-Aug-2000 11:57 AM EDT (21-Aug-2000 1557 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
