DATE=4/9/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-229459
TITLE=PAKISTAN MISSILES - L
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-S OFFICIALS SAY THEY MIGHT USE SANCTIONS TO PUNISH
PAKISTAN FOR A RECENT TEST OF A MEDIUM RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILE.
V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS FROM THE PENTAGON, OFFICIALS SAY THEY
ARE "IN THE ADVANCED STAGES" OF THE DECISION PROCESS.
TEXT: PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS U-S OFFICIALS ARE VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT THE GROWING NUMBER OF MISSILES IN SOUTH ASIA. HE
SAYS U-S DIPLOMATS AND OTHERS HAVE SPOKEN TO BOTH INDIA AND
PAKISTAN, TRYING TO CONVINCE THEIR RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENTS THAT
MORE MISSILES AND MORE WEAPONS WILL LIKELY MAKE THEM LESS SAFE.
MR. BACON SAYS WASHINGTON HAS USED SANCTIONS, UNDER THE MISSILE
TECHNOLOGY CONTROL REGIME, TO UNDERSCORE ITS CONCERN IN THE
PAST, AND MIGHT DO SO AGAIN.
/// BACON 116 ///
WE'RE CONTINUING TO REVIEW THIS PARTICULAR CASE, AND
WE'RE IN THE ADVANCED STAGES OF THAT REVIEW, BUT I
DON'T THINK WE'VE REACHED A DECISION ON THAT YET.
/// END ACT ///
MR. BACON SAYS INDIAN PRESS REPORTS THAT THE PAKISTANI MISSILE
TEST DID NOT TAKE PLACE APPEAR INCORRECT.
INDIA ALSO HAS A DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR MEDIUM RANGE BALLISTIC
MISSILES AND IT HAS DONE SEVERAL TEST FLIGHTS.
THE ARMS CONTROL ASSOCIATION, A PRIVATE GROUP THAT STUDIES
WEAPONS ISSUES AND ADVOCATES ARMS CONTROL, SAYS THE MISSILE
DEVELOPMENTS ARE A PARTICULAR CONCERN BECAUSE OF THE NUCLEAR
WEAPONS PROGRAMS IN BOTH NATIONS. A-C-A EXPERTS SAY INDIA
EXPLODED A NUCLEAR DEVICE SEVERAL DECADES AGO, AND PAKISTAN IS
THOUGHT TO HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS IT COULD ASSEMBLE QUICKLY.
INDIA AND PAKISTAN HAVE FOUGHT THREE WARS SINCE INDEPENDENCE FROM
BRITAIN IN 1947. (SIGNED).
NEB/JR/WDC
09-Apr-98 5:46 PM EDT (2146 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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