DATE=5/28/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249946
TITLE=INDIA / PAK / U-S REACT (L-O)
BYLINE=KYLE KING
DATELINE=STATE DEPARTMENT
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE UNITED STATES IS EXPRESSING CONCERN THAT CLASHES
ALONG THE DISPUTED KASHMIR REGION BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN
COULD SPIN OUT OF CONTROL. FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT, V-O-A'S
KYLE KING REPORTS.
TEXT: THE EXPRESSIONS OF U-S CONCERN CAME AS PAKISTANI-BASED
KASHMIRI MILITANT GROUPS CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DOWNING
OF AN INDIAN ARMY HELICOPTER ON FRIDAY.
THE HELICOPTER WAS APPARENTLY HIT BY A MISSILE AS INDIAN ARMY
TROOPS CLASHED FOR A THIRD DAY WITH MUSLIM MILITANTS DUG IN ON
THE INDIAN SIDE OF THE DISPUTED KASHMIRI BORDER.
THURSDAY PAKISTANI GUNNERS SHOT DOWN AT LEAST ONE OF TWO INDIAN
MIG FIGHTERS THAT CRASHED DURING ATTACKS ON MUSLIM MILITANT
POSITIONS.
STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN SAYS THE UNITED STATES HAS
EXPRESSED ITS CONCERNS ABOUT THE FIGHTING DIRECTLY TO INDIA AND
PAKISTAN.
// RUBIN ACT //
WE THINK BOTH SIDES, BOTH INDIA AND PAKISTAN, SHOULD
SHOW RESTRAINT, UNDERSTANDING THE GRAVE RISKS THAT THEY
ARE POSING TO THEIR PEOPLE AND THE WORLD BY THE
POTENTIAL FOR AN ESCALATION AND BOTH SIDES SHOULD SHOW
GREAT RESTRAINT IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS.
// END ACT //
U-S OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN CAUTIOUS TO AVOID POINTING THE FINGER OF
BLAME AT EITHER SIDE FOR STARTING THE LATEST SKIRMISHES. INDIA
AND PAKISTAN HAVE FOUGHT SEVERAL WARS OVER CONTROL OF KASHMIR.
ANALYSTS SAY THE LATEST FIGHTING IS THE FIRST SERIOUS TEST OF THE
ABILITY OF INDIA AND PAKISTAN TO DE-ESCALATE A SERIOUS MILITARY
CLASH SINCE THEY BECAME NUCLEAR POWERS.
U-S OFFICIALS SAY BOTH COUNTRIES NEED TO WORK TO PREVENT ANY
MISUNDERSTANDINGS THAT COULD LEAD TO A FAR MORE DANGEROUS
CONFLICT. (SIGNED)
NEB/KBK/JO
28-May-99 4:36 PM EDT (2036 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
