DATE=1/20/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT/L-ONLY
TITLE=INDIA / U-S TALKS (L)
NUMBER=2-258236
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Senior Indian and U-S diplomats have wrapped up
two days of talks in London with an agreement to form
a joint group to combat terrorism. The talks also
focused on nuclear proliferation issues but -- as V-O-
A's Jim Teeple reports, little progress was reported.
Text: It was the 10th time India's Foreign Minister
Jaswant Singh and U-S Deputy Secretary of State Strobe
Talbott met to discuss nuclear proliferation issues.
However, the main topic of discussion in London turned
out to be terrorism.
Ever since Kashmiri militant separatists hijacked an
Indian Airlines plane in late December, Indian
diplomats have been seeking support for a proposal to
label Pakistan a terrorist state. India says Pakistan
was involved in the hijacking -- a charge Pakistan
vehemently denies.
The United States says it does not support Indian
efforts to label Pakistan a terrorist state. Still,
U-S diplomats say they will form a joint working group
on terrorism with India and will support Indian
efforts to bring the hijackers to trial.
Uday Bhaskar is an active duty Indian Navy commodore
who is also the deputy director of the Institute for
Defense Studies and Analysis in New Delhi. He says --
although differences remain between the United States
and India over proliferation issues -- there is
agreement on the need to fight terrorism.
// BHASKAR ACTUALITY //
Personally, I feel that it is a positive sign that
both countries are continuing with the negotiations
and they are also trying, I think, to broaden the base
of discussion and not just keep it with the non-
proliferation issue.
// END ACTUALITY //
Ever since India and Pakistan conducted nuclear tests
in 1998, the United States has been trying to get both
countries to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
which bans testing of nuclear weapons and sets
international standards limiting nuclear
proliferation. So far, both India and Pakistan have
resisted. Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee
says there must be a national consensus to sign the C-
T-B-T before he will do so.
For his part, Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh
says the decision to form a joint working group on
terrorism with the United States is based on an
agreement to jointly fight terrorism and was not a
direct consequence of the recent hijacking.
Mr. Singh also signaled a new, tougher stance by India
towards Pakistan, saying India will only resume
discussions with a democratically elected government
in Islamabad. Following last October's bloodless coup
in Pakistan, Indian officials said they would be
willing to talk with Pakistan's new military leaders
to ease tensions in the region. (Signed)
neb/jlt / wd
20-Jan-2000 04:43 AM EDT (20-Jan-2000 0943 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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