DATE=6/14/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233875
TITLE=INDIA / REACT / L
BYLINE=ANJANA PASRICHA
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIAN NEWSPAPERS ARE URGING NEW DELHI AND ISLAMABAD TO
HOLD EARLY PEACE TALKS. ANJANA PASRICHA REPORTS FROM NEW DELHI,
THE ADVICE COMES AS EFFORTS BY INDIA AND PAKISTAN TO REVIVE A
DIALOGUE LATER THIS MONTH APPEAR TO HAVE DEADLOCKED.
TEXT: INDIAN NEWSPAPERS ARE STRESSING THE NEED FOR IMPROVING THE
SECURITY ENVIRONMENT IN SOUTH ASIA AND AVOIDING OUTSIDE
INTERFERENCE IN THE REGION.
THE "HINDUSTAN TIMES" SAYS NEW DELHI FACES WESTERN SANCTIONS AND
MUST BEGIN A DIALOGUE WITH ISLAMABAD SOON, WITH A STATEMENT
COMMITTING INDIA TO IMPROVING RELATIONS WITH PAKISTAN.
THE "STATESMAN" NEWSPAPER ALSO STRESSES THE NEED FOR A SETTLEMENT
-- SAYING "SANCTIONS ARE NOT TO BE TREATED LIGHTLY." IT SUGGESTS
THE SETTLEMENT MUST BE REACHED WITHOUT AMERICAN HELP.
THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER MAJOR INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS HAVE
IMPOSED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON BOTH COUNTRIES AND SAY THEY WILL
BLOCK LOANS FROM INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL ORGANIZATIONS.
THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL AND THE MAJOR INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS ARE
URGING THE ARCHRIVALS TO RESUME AN IMMEDIATE DIALOGUE TO EASE
TENSIONS IN SOUTH ASIA FOLLOWING NUCLEAR TESTS BY THE TWO
COUNTRIES.
HOPES OF AN EARLY RESUMPTION OF TALKS BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN
SUFFERED A SETBACK FRIDAY WHEN BOTH NATIONS INVITED EACH OTHER
FOR TALKS -- BUT SUGGESTED DIFFERENT VENUES AND DIFFERENT AGENDAS
FOR THE MEETING.
THE "ASIAN AGE" NEWSPAPER SAYS THE DEADLOCK, EVEN BEFORE THE
DIALOGUE, BEGAN HAS HURT INDIA. IT URGES EARLY TALKS WITHOUT
OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE BY OTHER NATIONS.
AN INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT SATURDAY REITERATED INDIA'S
WILLINGNESS TO TALK, BUT SAID NEW DELHI WILL NOT ACCEPT
THIRD-PARTY MEDIATION.
POLITICAL ANALYSTS SAY THE ROAD TO A SETTLEMENT IN SOUTH ASIA
COULD BE LONG AND DIFFICULT. THEY POINT OUT THAT NEW DELHI IS
DETERMINED TO SETTLE DIFFERENCES, BILATERALLY, BUT ISLAMABAD
WANTS TO INVOLVE OTHER NATIONS IN THE TALKS. INDIA SAYS THE
DISPUTED REGION OF KASHMIR IS JUST ONE AMONG A RANGE OF ISSUES
THAT NEED TO BE DISCUSSED. PAKISTAN INSISTS THAT KASHMIR IS THE
CORE ISSUE THAT MUST BE SETTLED.
MOST ANALYSTS AGREE WITH THE INDIAN EXPRESS WHICH SAYS -- AS BOTH
NATIONS TALK IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, ONE THING SEEMS CLEAR --
THE POST-NUCLEAR PHASE REVEALS THEIR "DEEP-SEATED DISTRUST AND
ANIMOSITY." (SIGNED)
NEB / WD / WD
14-Jun-98 6:23 AM EDT (1023 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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