DATE=5/15/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232282
TITLE=CLINTON/INDIA NUKE (L)
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=BIRMINGHAM
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PRESIDENT CLINTON, IN BIRMINGHAM ENGLAND FOR THE
EIGHT-NATION BIG-POWER SUMMIT, SAYS HE HOPES THE SUMMIT WILL
PRODUCE AN UNAMBIGUOUS STATEMENT CONDEMNING INDIA'S NUCLEAR
TESTING. V-O-A'S DAVID GOLLUST HAS DETAILS FROM BIRMINGHAM.
TEXT: THE INDIAN NUCLEAR TESTS, AND THE DANGER THAT PAKISTAN WILL
RESPOND WITH A TEST OF ITS OWN, HAVE ADDED A CRISIS ATMOSPHERE AT
THE SUMMIT, WHICH WAS TO HAVE LARGELY FOCUSED ON BROAD ECONOMIC
ISSUES.
MR. CLINTON BEGAN HIS SCHEDULE HERE IN A BILATERAL MEETING WITH
JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER RYUTARO HASHIMOTO, WHOSE GOVERNMENT HAS
JOINED THE UNITED STATES IN IMPOSING SANCTIONS AGAINST INDIA
BECAUSE ITS WEAPONS TESTS
IN REMARKS TO REPORTERS AS THE MEETING BEGAN, MR. CLINTON AGAIN
SCOLDED INDIA FOR ITS TEST SERIES -- SAYING HE DOES NOT THINK
THE BEST WAY TO GUARANTEE INDIA'S SECURITY IS TO, AS HE PUT IT,
CALL UP THE DARKER ELEMENTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY.
HE SAID HE DOES NOT CONSIDER A RETALIATORY PAKISTANI NUCLEAR
TEST INEVITABLE AND SAID HE HOPES INCENTIVES CAN BE FOUND TO
PERSUADE PAKISTAN NOT TO TEST:
///CLINTON ACTUALITY///
I HOPE WE CAN HAVE A FORMULA IN WHICH THEY WILL FIND IT
POSSIBLE -- POLITICALLY POSSIBLE NOT TO GO FORWARD. IT
WOULD SHOW GREAT OF STATESMANSHIP AND RESTRAINT ON THEIR
PART. YOU CAN IMAGINE -- I MEAN, YOURSELF IN PAKISTAN'S
POSITION. YOU CAN IMAGINE THE OVERWHELMING POLITICAL
PRESSURE THAT MUST BE BUILDING UP ON THEM AT HOME. BUT
I REALLY BELIEVE IF WE WORK HARD, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO
FIND A WAY THAT THE PAKISTANI PEOPLE WOULD ALSO SUPPORT
TO AVOID THIS. AN ARMS RACE ON THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT
IN NUCLEAR WEAPONS IS NOT IN THE INTEREST OF PAKISTAN.
///END ACT///
THE PRESIDENT MADE CLEAR ONE INCENTIVE MIGHT BE RESOLUTION OF A
LONG-STANDING FINANCIAL DISPUTE WITH PAKISTAN OVER JET FIGHTERS
PURCHASED NEARLY TEN YEARS AGO. PAKISTAN PAID THE UNITED STATES
NEARLY 700 MILLION DOLLARS FOR F-16 FIGHTERS. BUT BECAUSE OF
SUSPICION PAKISTAN HAD A SECRET NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM, DELIVERY
OF THE PLANES WAS BLOCKED BY THE ANTI-PROLIFERATION PRESSLER
AMENDMENT FROM CONGRESS.
MR. CLINTON PROMISED THEN-PRIME MINISTER BENAZIR BHUTTO THREE
YEARS AGO HE WOULD ACT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE AND SAID HERE
PAKISTAN HAS A GENUINE GRIEVANCE AGAINST THE UNITED STATES. HE
SAID SETTLING THE F-16 ISSUE WOULD BE ONE PART AN OVERTURE TO
PAKISTAN AND THAT HE HOPED THE BIRMINGHAM SUMMIT PARTNERS CAN
ALSO HELP IN THE EFFORT TO HEAD OFF A PAKISTANI TEST.
A U-S TEAM HEADED BY DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE TALBOTT IS
IN ISLAMABAD CONFERRING WITH PAKISTANI LEADERS AND MR. TALBOTT IS
DUE IN BIRMINGHAM LATE SATURDAY TO REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT.
AMERICAN OFFICIALS BELIEVE PAKISTAN COULD ASSEMBLE A NUCLEAR
DEVICE ON SHORT NOTICE AND HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT
INDICATIONS TEST PREPARATIONS COULD BE UNDERWAY. (SIGNED)
NEB/DAG/WDC/JO
15-May-98 10:18 AM EDT (1418 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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