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PAKISTAN MISSION TO THE

UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK

PRESS RELEASE

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Press Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the new Indian Government's nuclear policy

The "national agenda" states that the BJP government would re-evaluate the nuclear policy and exercise all options including the nuclear options.

This is a dangerous development for the region as well as for the world at large. We are seriously disturbed at this assertion and its implications which threaten the peace and stability of South Asia. Our region unfortunately already lacks stability. Jammu and Kashmir is a tinder-box. Indian missiles and nuclear programmes have no relevance, in their enormity, to the genuine Indian defense needs. Indian state terrorism in Kashmir and in Pakistan has confirmed their credentials as a terrorist state. The open threat to exercise nuclear option thus creates a fearsome situation. It multiplies manifold the threat to Pakistan's security besides dealing a grievous blow to global and regional efforts at nuclear non-proliferation. It flies in the face of all nuclear non-proliferation efforts and contemporary trends for disarmament, arms control and conflict resolution through peaceful means. In this situation, if the need arises, we shall review our policy to safeguard our sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests.

We urge the international community to take a serious note, as it deserves, of Indian intentions and to exert pressure on India to show restraint, and refrain from endangering the regional and global peace and security.

19 March 1998

Islamabad