DATE=5/13/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232128
TITLE=JAPAN/ INDIA TESTING (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=THOMAS CALDWELL
DATELINE=TOKYO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: JAPAN HAS STEPPED UP ITS CONDEMNATION OF INDIA'S NUCLEAR
TESTS. THOMAS CALDWELL REPORTS FROM TOKYO, THE GOVERNMENT OF
PRIME MINISTER RYUTARO HASHIMOTO ANNOUNCED IT IS FREEZING
ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO INDIA.
TEXT: BOTH RULING AND OPPOSITION POLITICIANS CONTINUED TO
EXPRESS OUTRAGE OVER INDIA'S NUCLEAR TESTING.
THE UPPER HOUSE OF JAPAN'S PARLIAMENT ON WEDNESDAY, UNANIMOUSLY
PASSED A RESOLUTION CONDEMNING INDIA'S ACTION. ADDRESSING THE
LAWMAKERS, PRIME MINISTER RYUTARO HASHIMOTO CALLED THE WEAPONS
TESTS -- EXTREMELY DEPLORABLE.
LATER IN THE DAY, MR. HASHIMOTO ANNOUNCED A FREEZE OF ALL
NON-HUMANITARIAN ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE TO INDIA, EXPECTED TO AMOUNT
TO 30-MILLION DOLLARS. THE PRIME MINISTER ADDED HIS GOVERNMENT
WILL STUDY INDIA'S REACTION TO THE GROWING CONDEMNATION OF THE
TESTS AND THEN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT FREEZE YEN LOANS AS WELL.
SHORTLY AFTER THE PRIME MINISTER'S ANNOUNCEMENT, THERE WAS NEWS
INDIA HAD DETONATED TWO ADDITIONAL NUCLEAR DEVISES.
EACH OF THE WEAPONS TESTED MONDAY IS THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN MORE
POWERFUL THAN THE WEAPONS DROPPED ON THE JAPANESE CITIES OF
HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI AT THE CLOSE OF WORLD WAR TWO.
PRIME MINISTER HASHIMOTO, THE LEADER OF THE ONLY NATION IN
HISTORY TO SUFFER A NUCLEAR ATTACK, IS EXPECTED TO PROPOSE JOINT
ACTION AGAINST INDIA AT THE MEETING OF THE LEADING INDUSTRIALIZED
NATIONS LATER THIS WEEK IN BRITAIN. (SIGNED)
NEB/TC/GC/FC/RAE
13-May-98 7:36 AM EDT (1136 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
