DATE=5/16/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232339
TITLE=RUSSIA / PAKISTAN (S&L)
BYLINE=DAVID MCGUFFIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AS SPECULATION GROWS THAT PAKISTAN WILL FOLLOW INDIA'S
LEAD AND TEST NUCLEAR DEVICES OF ITS OWN, PAKISTAN'S AMBASSADOR
TO RUSSIA SAYS HIS COUNTRY WOULD CONSIDER JOINING A BAN ON
NUCLEAR TESTS -- BUT ONLY IF INDIA DISARMS ITS NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
DAVID MCGUFFIN REPORTS FROM MOSCOW.
TEXT: AMBASSADOR MONSOOR ALAM SAYS PAKISTAN GOES ALONG WITH THE
OBJECTIVES OF NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION, BUT BEFORE HIS COUNTRY
SIGNS ANY BINDING AGREEMENT, INDIA MUST FIRST OPEN ALL OF ITS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES TO INSPECTORS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC
ENERGY AGENCY AND CARRY OUT NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT UNDER THE WATCH
OF INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS.
INDIA IS NOT LIKELY TO GO ALONG WITH ANY DISARMAMENT PROPOSAL
FROM PAKISTAN. BUT THE FACT THAT IT WAS OFFERED IS SEEN AS AN
INDICATION THAT PAKISTAN IS NOT GOING TO RUSH INTO NUCLEAR
TESTS TO MATCH THOSE CARRIED OUT EARLIER THIS WEEK BY INDIA.
AT THE G-EIGHT SUMMIT IN ENGLAND, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN
AGAIN EXPRESSED RUSSIA'S DISPLEASURE WITH INDIA'S TESTS, BUT HE
RULED OUT JOINING THE UNITED STATES IN IMPOSING ECONOMIC
SANCTIONS AGAINST INDIA.
//REST OPT//
RUSSIA HAS JOINED IN WORLDWIDE PRESSURE ON PAKISTAN TO REFRAIN
FROM NUCLEAR TESTS. ITS FOREIGN MINISTRY HAS INSTRUCTED ITS
AMBASSADOR IN ISLAMABAD TO TRY TO PERSUADE THE PAKISTAN
GOVERNMENT AGAINST TESTS.
BUT OBSERVERS POINT OUT THAT RUSSIA'S DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS ARE
UNDERMINED BY ITS LONG HISTORY AS INDIA'S TOP MILITARY ARMS
SUPPLIER. RUSSIA IS ALSO INTERESTED IN SELLING INDIA NUCLEAR
REACTORS.
RELATIONS HAVE BEEN STRAINED FOR MANY YEARS BETWEEN PAKISTAN AND
INDIA. THE TWO COUNTRIES HAVE FOUGHT THREE SEPARATE WARS SINCE
GAINING THEIR INDEPENDENCE FROM BRITAIN IN 1947. (SIGNED)
NEB/DMC/DW/JO
16-May-98 10:33 AM EDT (1433 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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