DATE=6/25/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-40785
TITLE= U-S / INDIA / PAKISTAN
BYLINE=RAVI KHANNA
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SOUTH ASIAN AFFAIRS --
KARL INDERFURTH -- SAYS U-S SANCTIONS AGAINST INDIA AND PAKISTAN
ARE MEANT TO INFLUENCE THEIR BEHAVIOR AFTER THEIR RECENT NUCLEAR
TESTS AND NOT TO PUNISH THEM FOR THE SAKE OF PUNISHMENT. HE
TOLD A GATHERING OF INDIAN AND PAKISTANI PROFESSIONALS IN
WASHINGTON (WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24) THAT THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION
WANTS THE TWO NEIGHBORS TO TAKE POSITIVE STEPS QUICKLY TO BUILD
TRUST IN EACH OTHER. V-O-A'S RAVI KHANNA WAS THERE.
TEXT: MR. INDERFURTH SAYS THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT
WANT TO ISOLATE EITHER INDIA OR PAKISTAN. BUT HE SAID WASHINGTON
WANTS TO ENCOURAGE BOTH TO DEMONSTRATE A STRONG COMMITMENT TO
NUCLEAR AND MISSILE RESTRAINT AND TO REDUCE REGIONAL TENSIONS.
MR. INDERFURTH SAYS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WANTS INDIA AND
PAKISTAN TO STEP BACK AND NOT TAKE ANY FURTHER STEPS IN THE
NUCLEAR ARMS RACE IN THE REGION BECAUSE THAT COULD LEAD TO A
DISASTER.
// INDERFURTH ACT-1 //
"THEY HAVE CROSSED TWO THRESHOLDS IN RECENT DAYS -- ONE
OF NUCLEAR TESTING AND TWO -- DECLARING THEMSELVES
NUCLEAR WEAPONS STATES. THESE ARE TWO THINGS WE HAD
HOPED WOULD NOT HAPPEN. THERE ARE FEW OTHER
THRESHOLDS THAT CAN BE CROSSED, INCLUDING WEAPONIZING,
INCLUDING INDUCTING THOSE WEAPONS INTO THE ARMED FORCES
OF EACH COUNTRY, AND THEN THE THRESHOLD OF DEPLOYMENT OF
NUCLEAR CAPABLE MISSILES. AND IF EACH OF THESE
THRESHOLDS ARE CROSSED, THERE IS ONLY ONE REMAINING
THRESHOLD, AND THAT IS USE. AND EACH TIME YOU CROSS THE
NEXT THRESHOLD, THE POSSIBILITY OF USE GOES UP. AND A
NUCLEAR WAR IN SOUTH ASIA WOULD HAVE UNBELIEVABLE
CONSEQUENCES FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE REGION, NOT JUST
INDIA AND PAKISTAN BUT OTHERS."
// END ACT //
THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE SAYS WASHINGTON WOULD LIKE TO
SEE INDIA AND PAKISTAN TAKE SUBSTANTIAL, POSITIVE STEPS THAT
WOULD ALLOW THE UNITED STATES TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE SANCTIONS.
// INDERFURTH ACT-2 //
"WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A NUMBER OF THINGS, WHICH INCLUDE
THE SIGNING OF THE C-T-B-T (COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN
TREATY) WITHOUT CONDITIONS, ENTERING INTO FISSILE
MATERIAL CUT OFF NEGOTIATIONS -- WHICH THE INDIAN
GOVERNMENT HAS NOW SAID IT WILL DO AND WE WELCOME THAT
--, NON-DEPLOYMENT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS -- THAT IS GOING
TO BE A TERRIBLY IMPORTANT THING FOR THE PARTIES TO
AGREE TO --, RESUMPTION OF THE DIALOGUE, INCLUDING
DISCUSSIONS ON KASHMIR -- WHICH AGAIN IS FUNDAMENTAL TO
RESOLVING A LONG TERM CONFLICT. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
THINGS WE HAVE SET FORTH THAT IF THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT
CAN RESPOND TO, WE AN MOVE AWAY FROM THE SANCTIONS
REGIME."
// END ACT //
MR. INDERFURTH ALSO INDICATED THAT WASHINGTON IS NOT VERY EAGER
TO MEDIATE THE KASHMIR ISSUE. BUT HE SAID WASHINGTON WILL BE
READY TO HELP THE TWO COUNTRIES IN BUILDING CONFIDENCE IN EACH
OTHER, EVEN IF IT REQUIRES SHARING MILITARY INTELLIGENCE WITH
THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS NO MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE
TWO ABOUT EACH OTHER'S MOVES. (SIGNED)
SA/RAVI/GE
25-Jun-98 11:39 AM EDT (1539 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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