Daily Press Briefing
Richard Boucher, Spokesman
Washington, DC
January 9, 2003
INDEX:
INDIA | |
| 20 | Nuclear Weapons Test |
TRANSCRIPT:
(...)
QUESTION: Does the State Department have a view about India's test-firing now of a ballistic missile?
MR. BOUCHER: As we've said before, we're disappointed when we see ballistic missile tests in this region. India did issue a public notice that this test would occur. Nonetheless, we think tests like this contribute to a charged atmosphere, make it harder to prevent to a costly and destabilizing nuclear and missile arms race.
We continue to urge both India and Pakistan to take steps to restrain their nuclear weapon and missile programs, including no operational deployment of nuclear-armed ballistic missiles, and we've urged them to begin a dialogue on confidence-building measures that could produce a likelihood that such weapons might be used. This, obviously, could be part of a broader dialogue to help reduce tensions.
In this context, we'd also say it would be helpful if both sides reduced their recent rhetoric about the potential for conflict because that, too, heightens tensions in the area.
QUESTION: Is there any -- I understand. Very clear. But is there any sense here that India's hand sort of was forced by Pakistan's behavior?
MR. BOUCHER: Our view is that it's not a question of one or the other. It's not productive to start asking is he doing this because he did that and vice versa. The point is both sides need to exercise restraint. Both sides need to lower the tone of the rhetoric, and that these kind of missile tests do contribute to the charged atmosphere and the sides need to consider that.
(...)
[End]
Released on January 9, 2003
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
