DATE=2/21/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245770
TITLE=INDO / PAK VISIT UPDATE (L)
BYLINE=SCOTT ANGER
DATELINE=LAHORE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIA'S PRIME MINISTER HAS CONCLUDED A HISTORIC VISIT TO
PAKISTAN BY SIGNING AN AGREEMENT TO TAKE STEPS TO RESOLVE ISSUES
DIVIDING THE NEIGHBORS. AS CORRESPONDENT SCOTT ANGER REPORTS,
THE VISIT IS PART OF EFFORTS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES TO BRING
PEACE AND STABILITY TO SOUTH ASIA.
TEXT: TALKS BETWEEN INDIAN PRIME MINISTER ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE
AND PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF HAVE ENDED WITH
AGREEMENT TO TAKE STEPS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF NUCLEAR CONFLICT IN
THE REGION. THE LEADERS SIGNED THE AGREEMENT AT THE GOVERNOR'S
HOUSE IN LAHORE, AFTER TWO-DAYS OF TALKS DURING A VISIT BY THE
INDIAN PRIME MINISTER.
THE VISIT HAS BEEN THE FIRST TO PAKISTAN BY AN INDIAN PRIME
MINISTER IN A DECADE, AND ONLY THE SECOND OFFICIAL VISIT BY AN
INDIAN LEADER SINCE THE TWO COUNTRIES DIVIDED IN 1947. MR.
VAJPAYEE CROSSED THE BORDER SATURDAY, ABOARD THE FIRST PASSENGER
BUS BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN.
THE INDIAN PRIME MINISTER CALLED HIS VISIT BRIEF, BUT
SUBSTANTIAL. HE SAYS INDIA AND PAKISTAN HAVE REACHED NEW
UNDERSTANDINGS.
/// VAJPAYEE ACT 1. ///
THESE (AGREEMENTS) REFLECT THE AREAS OF UNDERSTANDING
THAT WERE ESTABLISHED IN THE COURSE OF MY VISIT AND THE
FORWARD-LOOKING AGENDA PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF AND I
HAVE BEEN WORKING ON.
/// END ACT ///
PRIME MINISTER SHARIF SAYS PAKISTAN IS READY TO WORK WITH INDIA
TO REDUCE TENSIONS IN SOUTH ASIA.
/// SHARIF ACT ///
PAKISTAN IS INTERESTED IN PROMOTING CONFIDENCE IN
NUCLEAR AND CONVENTIONAL FIELDS WITH THE VIEW TO
REDUCING THE DANGER OF CONFLICT AND LEADING TO NUCLEAR
RESTRAINT AND STABILIZATION.
/// END ACT ///
THE TWO COUNTRIES HAVE ALSO AGREED TO MOVE TOWARD A RESOLUTION OF
THE DISPUTED REGION OF KASHMIR. INDIA AND PAKISTAN HAVE FOUGHT
TWO WARS FOR CONTROL OF THE REGION AND CROSS-BORDER FIRING OCCURS
THERE DAILY.
PRIME MINISTER VAJPAYEE SAYS BOTH COUNTRIES WILL WORK TOWARD
SOLVING THE 50-YEAR-OLD DISPUTE.
/// VAJPAYEE ACT 2. ///
JAMMU AND KASHMIR IS ONE OF THE ISSUES WE ARE DISCUSSING
WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF OUR COMPOSITE DIALOGUE. WE WILL
NEGOTIATE WITH SINCERITY ON THIS AND ALL OTHER ISSUES.
/// END ACT ///
VIOLENT PROTESTS BY A RIGHT-WING RELIGIOUS PARTY MARRED THE
VISIT. THE JAMAAT-I-ISLAMI GROUP ORGANIZED DEMONSTRATIONS
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, CALLING FOR THE DISPUTE OVER KASHMIR TO
BE RESOLVED BEFORE RELATIONS WITH INDIA ARE NORMALIZED.
AUTHORITIES SAY AT LEAST ONE POLICEMEN HAS BEEN KILLED AND
SEVERAL PROTESTERS INJURED DURING CLASHES IN CENTRAL LAHORE.
MORE THAN ONE-THOUSAND ACTIVISTS HAVE BEEN DETAINED.
BEFORE LEAVING PAKISTAN, PRIME MINISTER VAJPAYEE INVITED MR.
SHARIF TO VISIT INDIA FOR FURTHER TALKS AIMED AT RESOLVING
LONG-STANDING ISSUES DIVIDING THE TWO COUNTRIES. (SIGNED)
NEB/SA/RAE
21-Feb-99 12:19 PM EST (1719 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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