DATE=8/11/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=CLINTON-INDIA-PAKISTAN (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-252700
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=WHITE HOUSE
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The White House says planning continues for
President Clinton to take a trip to South Asia early
next year despite this week's flare-up of tensions
between India and Pakistan. V-O-A's David Gollust
reports from the White House.
Text: Mr. Clinton postponed a South Asian trip last
year after India and Pakistan tested nuclear weapons.
But officials here say the latest trouble between the
two powers - including Tuesday's downing by India of a
Pakistani surveillance aircraft - has not derailed
planning for a Presidential visit to India and
Pakistan, and perhaps also Bangladesh, next year.
Mr. Clinton has been closely involved in South Asia
diplomacy as underscored by his Washington meeting by
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif five weeks ago -
- which helped ease the renewed crisis in Kashmir.
White House National Security Council spokesman David
Leavy says the United States has major regional and
bilateral interests in South Asia to pursue. And while
no dates have been set, he "fully expects" the
President to make the trip:
/// Leavy Actuality ///
The President believes that he can go and he can
engage both parties in a broad dialogue. And
what has happened in the last two days shouldn't
necessarily work against that. He made it clear
to Prime Minister Sharif when he was here for
the July 4th meeting that it was his intention to
go, that the relationship had many facets and we
had to engage and move forward on that.
/// End Act ///
Mr. Leavy said it is not the Administration's role to
assign blame for his week's air incidents and he again
urged both governments to return to the process of
dialogue set forth in their Lahore summit in February.
He also called on India and Pakistan to abide by terms
of their 1991 agreement that provides a mechanism for
dealing with airspace violations. (Signed)
NEB/DAG/TVM/JO
11-Aug-1999 18:46 PM EDT (11-Aug-1999 2246 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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