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17 May 1998

TEXT: G-8 STATEMENT ON INDIAN NUCLEAR TESTS

Birmingham, England -- Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair late May 15
released joint G-8 statements on five key regional security issues --
Indonesia, FRY/Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Middle East peace
process, Indonesia, and the Indian nuclear tests.
The statements were agreed to by the leaders of the United States, the
United Kindgom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Russia at
their dinner discussions which officially opened the three-day meeting
of the world's leading industrialized nations and Russia taking place
here.
(Begin text)
INDIAN NUCLEAR TESTS
We condemn the nuclear tests which were carried out by India on 11 and
13 May. Such action runs counter to the will expressed by 149
signatories to the CTBT (Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty) to cease
nuclear testing, to efforts to strengthen the global non-proliferation
regime and to steps to enhance regional and international peace and
security. It has been met by immediate international concern and
opposition, from governments and more widely. We underline our full
commitment to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and to the
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty as the cornerstones of the global
non-proliferation regime and the essential foundations for the pursuit
of nuclear disarmament. We express our grave concern about the
increased risk of nuclear and missile proliferation in South Asia and
elsewhere. We urge India and other states in the region to refrain
from further tests and the deployment of nuclear weapons or ballistic
missiles. We call upon India to rejoin the mainstream of international
opinion, to adhere unconditionally to the NPT and the CTBT and to
enter into negotiations on a global treaty to stop the production of
fissile material for nuclear weapons. India's relationship with each
of us has been affected by these developments. We are making this
clear in our own direct exchanges and dealings with the Indian
Government and we call upon other states similarly to address their
concerns to India. We call upon and encourage Pakistan to exercise
maximum restraint in the face of these tests and to adhere to
international non-proliferation norms.
(End text)