DATE=5/13/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232124
TITLE=CLINTON / INDIA (L)
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=BERLIN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON -- IN GERMANY FOR TALKS WITH CHANCELLOR
HELMUT KOHL -- IS PREPARING TO ANNOUNCE SWEEPING SANCTIONS
AGAINST INDIA, BECAUSE OF ITS NUCLEAR TESTING THIS WEEK. V-O-A'S
DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS FROM BERLIN.
TEXT: MR. CLINTON IS UNDERSTOOD TO HAVE MADE THE SANCTIONS
DECISION AFTER INDIA SPURNED A U-S DEMAND IT PLEDGE NOT TO
CONDUCT FURTHER TESTING OR DEPLOY NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
THE PRESIDENT HAD LITTLE LEEWAY -- IN ANY CASE -- UNDER THE TOUGH
ANTI-PROLIFERATION LAW PASSED BY CONGRESS IN 1994. IT MANDATES A
CUT-OFF OF U-S AID AND LOANS TO VIOLATING GOVERNMENTS, AND WOULD
FORBID EXPORTS OF ADVANCED COMPUTERS AND OTHER HIGH-TECHNOLOGY
U-S EQUIPMENT WITH MILITARY APPLICATIONS.
SIGNIFICANTLY FOR INDIA, THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD ALSO BE
REQUIRED TO OPPOSE LOANS TO NEW DELHI BY THE WORLD BANK AND OTHER
INTERNATIONAL LENDING BODIES.
THE PRESIDENT HAS CALLED INDIA'S ACTION DEEPLY DISTURBING AND
URGED ITS NEIGHBORS NOT TO MATCH THE TESTING AND FOLLOW ALONG THE
PATH OF A DANGEROUS ARMS RACE.
MR. CLINTON FOLLOWED THAT UP WITH A PHONE CALL TO PAKISTANI PRIME
MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF FROM GERMANY WEDNESDAY, URGING HIM IN THE
WORDS OF A SENIOR WHICH HOUSE AIDE, TO -- FOLLOW A DIFFERENT
ROAD.
U-S OFFICIALS BELIEVE PAKISTAN, WHICH RECENTLY TESTED A
MEDIUM-RANGE MISSILE, HAS THE CAPABILITY OF QUICKLY ASSEMBLING
AND TESTING A NUCLEAR DEVICE OF ITS OWN.
INDIAN PRIME MINISTER ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE SENT A MESSAGE TO
PRESIDENT CLINTON AND OTHER WORLD LEADERS TUESDAY EXPLAINING HIS
COUNTRY'S RATIONALE FOR THE TESTS AND URGING THEM NOT TO RUSH TO
JUDGMENT ON SANCTIONS.
PRESIDENT CLINTON EARLIER RECALLED THE U-S AMBASSADOR TO INDIA --
RICHARD CELESTE -- FOR CONSULTATIONS AND PLANS FOR MR. CLINTON TO
VISIT INDIA LATER THIS YEAR ARE UNDER REVIEW.
THE UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS CARRIED OUT AT A TEST SITE IN WESTERN
INDIA -- NEAR PAKISTAN -- CAME AS AN UNWELCOME SURPRISE TO U-S
OFFICIALS WHO HAD BEEN URGING RESTRAINT ON THE PART OF INDIA'S
HINDU-NATIONALIST GOVERNMENT.
INDIA LAST YEAR REFUSED TO SIGN THE COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR TEST
BAN TREATY -- A MAJOR FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITY OF MR. CLINTON --
CITING THE REFUSAL OF THE NUCLEAR POWERS, THE UNITED STATES,
RUSSIA, CHINA, FRANCE, AND BRITAIN TO FOLLOW A DISARMAMENT
TIMETABLE.
PRESIDENT CLINTON DISCUSSED THE INDIAN TEST IN A PHONE
CONVERSATION WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN TUESDAY. IT
WILL ALSO FIGURE IN HIS TALKS WITH CHANCELLOR KOHL AND AT THE
SUMMIT OF THE SEVEN WESTERN INDUSTRIAL POWERS AND RUSSIA, OPENING
LATER THIS WEEK IN BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAG/RAE
13-May-98 7:21 AM EDT (1121 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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