DATE=5/12/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232057
TITLE=PAK NUCLEAR (L)
BYLINE=SARAH HORNER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PAKISTANI POLITICIANS AND ANALYSTS ARE REACTING TO THE
ANNOUNCEMENT MONDAY BY INDIA IT CONDUCTED THREE NUCLEAR TESTS.
AS SARAH HORNER REPORTS, THERE IS MOUNTING PRESSURE ON THE
PAKISTAN GOVERNMENT -- WHICH IS HOLDING A SPECIAL CABINET MEETING
-- TO CARRY OUT ITS OWN TEST.
TEXT: PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF RETURNED TUESDAY TO AN
EXPECTANT PAKISTAN, EAGER TO HEAR FROM THE GOVERNMENT ABOUT HOW
IT WILL REACT TO INDIA'S ANNOUNCEMENT OF NUCLEAR CAPABILITY.
PRIME MINISTER SHARIF -- WHO ATTENDED A CONFERENCE IN CENTRAL
ASIA -- ISSUED A WRITTEN STATEMENT ON HIS RETURN TO THE PAKISTANI
CAPITAL, ISLAMABAD, SAYING HE REGRETTED THE WORLD HAD NOT HEEDED
PAKISTAN'S WARNINGS ABOUT INDIA.
HE SAID PAKISTAN WILL SAFEGUARD ITS NATIONAL SECURITY AT ALL
COSTS, AND WILL TAKE ALL NECESSARY MEASURES TO PROTECT ITS
INTERESTS. THE PRIME MINISTER SAID PAKISTAN HAS THE ABILITY TO
RESPOND TO ANY THREAT.
PAKISTAN'S CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF -- GENERAL JEHANGIR KARAMAT --
TOLD REPORTERS PAKISTAN RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE ALL
APPROPRIATE STEPS TO MEET -- WHAT HE CALLED -- ALL INDIAN THREATS
AND INTIMIDATIONS.
THE COUNTRY'S FOREMOST NUCLEAR SCIENTIST, ABDUL QADEER KAHN, WHO
RECEIVED AN AWARD TUESDAY FROM PAKISTAN'S PRESIDENT -- TOLD NEWS
AGENCIES PAKISTAN HAS NOTHING TO FEAR ABOUT INDIA'S NUCLEAR TESTS
AND IS VERY WELL PLACED TO MEET THREATS TO ITS SECURITY.
THE FORMER HEAD OF THE STRATEGIC STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF
QAID-I-AZAM UNIVERSITY IN ISLAMABAD, SHIREEN MAZARI, TOLD V-O-A
ANALYSTS LIKE HERSELF HAVE BEEN LONG PREDICTING INDIA WOULD
CONDUCT NUCLEAR TESTS, AND SHE URGED ACTION FROM PAKISTAN.
// MAZARI ACT //
I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE REACTION OF THE PAKISTAN
GOVERNMENT WILL BE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU WHAT IT SHOULD
BE. SO FAR, THE PAKISTAN GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN YELLING
FOR SANCTIONS AND THAT REALLY IS NOT ENOUGH. IN FACT,
WE REALLY SHOULD NOT FOCUS ON SANCTIONS. THE GOVERNMENT
SHOULD JUST QUIETLY MAKE ITS PREPARATIONS TO HAVE A
NUCLEAR TEST, AND QUICK. SO THAT BEFORE THE WORLD HAS
RE-ESTABLISHED A POST-INDIA NUCLEAR TEST EQUILIBRIUM, WE
SHOULD ALSO HAVE THE EXPLOSION, SO THE REACTION OF THE
WORLD COMMUNITY IS FOR BOTH INDIA AND PAKISTAN.
// END ACT //
MS. MAZARI SAYS SHE BELIEVES INDIA WILL NOW SIGN THE
COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY, AND SAYS SHE THINKS
PAKISTAN SHOULD DO THE SAME AFTER SIMILARLY ESTABLISHING ITSELF
AS A NUCLEAR POWER.
MS. MAZARI SAYS SHE UNDERSTANDS PAKISTAN HAS THE CAPABILITY TO
CARRY OUT A NUCLEAR TEST, AND SHE SAYS THIS MAY HAPPEN IN THE
NEXT WEEK, MAYBE EVEN IN THE NEXT TWO DAYS. BUT, SHE SAYS THIS
WILL NOT UPSET THE BALANCE OF POWER IN SOUTH ASIA.
// MAZARI ACT //
THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE REGION ARE MORE STABILITY. YOU
CAN TALK TO INDIA ABOUT MAINTAINING A MINIMUM NUCLEAR
DETERRENCE...BUT, YOU CANNOT DO THAT UNLESS BOTH SIDES
HAVE SOMETHING TO NEGOTIATE ABOUT, AND THEY WILL NOT
HAVE ANYTHING TO NEGOTIATE ABOUT UNTIL BOTH SIDES ARE
OVERTLY NUCLEAR TO START OFF WITH. AND EVEN SO FAR,
WHEN THEY HAVE NOT BEEN OVERTLY NUCLEAR, EVEN THEN THE
COVERT NUCLEAR DETERRENCE THAT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED HAS
MAINTAINED STABILITY IN SOUTH ASIA.
// END ACT //
MS MAZARI SAYS PAKISTANI PUBLIC OPINION WILL BE STRONGLY IN FAVOR
OF A TEST.
// MAZARI ACT //
I THINK THAT THE COUNTRY WILL NOT FORGIVE THE GOVERNMENT
IF THEY DO NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR TEST. I THINK THAT NOW
WITH WHAT THE INDIANS HAVE DONE, IF THERE WAS ANY DOUBT,
I THINK THOSE DOUBTS WILL VANISH BECAUSE NOW THERE WILL
BE A STRONG GROUNDSWELL AND PRESSURE FOR PAKISTAN TO
HAVE THE NUCLEAR TEST.
// END ACT //
PAKISTAN'S GOVERNMENT IS HOLDING (HELD) A SPECIAL CABINET MEETING
TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE. (SIGNED)
NEB/SLH/RAE
12-May-98 9:15 AM EDT (1315 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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