DATE=5/24/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232732
TITLE=PAKISTAN NUCLEAR BHUTTO (L-CQ)
BYLINE=AYAZ GUL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: FORMER PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER BENAZIR BHUTTO SAYS
PAKISTAN IS CAPABLE OF RESPONDING TO RECENT INDIAN NUCLEAR TESTS
IN KIND. BUT, AS AYAZ GUL REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD, MS. BHUTTO
SAYS INTERNATIONAL CALLS OF RESTRAINT HAVE KEPT PRIME MINISTER
NAWAZ SHARIF FROM TAKING ACTION.
TEXT: PAKISTANI OPPOSITION LEADER BENAZIR BHUTTO SAYS THE INDIAN
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS HAVE POSED A THREAT TO PAKISTAN'S SECURITY.
BUT SHE SAYS ISLAMABAD, IF IT CHOOSES, CAN MATCH INDIA'S NUCLEAR
TESTS.
//BHUTTO ACT//
PAKISTAN HAS THE NUCLEAR CAPABILITY. WE HAD ADOPTED A
DELIBERATE POLICY OF NOT PUTTING TOGETHER A NUCLEAR
DEVICE BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SIGNAL OUR SUPPORT TO
NON-PROLIFERATION, BUT WE HAD ALSO TAKEN A DECISION THAT
IN THE EVENT OF A THREAT TO OUR SECURITY, WE COULD PUT
TOGETHER A NUCLEAR DEVICE. SO YES, PAKISTAN HAS THE
CAPABILITY, AND YES PAKISTAN IF IT CHOSE CAN MATCH
INDIA. I AM NOT A SCIENTIST, SO I DON'T KNOW THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NEUTRONS AND HYDROGENS AND OTHER
THINGS THAT ARE BEING WRITTEN ABOUT, BUT I CAN SAY THAT
PAKISTAN HAS THE CAPABILITY TO MATCH INDIA.
//END ACT//
INDIA CONDUCTED FIVE NUCLEAR TESTS. PAKISTAN HAS SAID IT
RESERVES THE RIGHT TO RESPOND WITH A TEST OF ITS OWN.
MS. BHUTTO TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE IN ISLAMABAD, PRIME MINISTER
NAWAZ SHARIF MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVE METHODS TO PROMOTE
PAKISTAN'S SECURITY, AFTER U-S PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON AND BRITISH
PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR URGED MR. SHARIF NOT TO CONDUCT A
NUCLEAR TEST.
// BHUTTO ACT //
I THINK THE (PAKISTAN) GOVERNMENT PAUSED TO SEE WHETHER
THE WORLD WOULD PUNISH INDIA AND PROVIDE SECURITY COVER
TO PAKISTAN. BUT I DO NOT THINK IT WAS BECAUSE
PAKISTAN DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITY. AND I THINK
THAT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THIS CONCLUSION (THAT
PAKISTAN DOESN'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY) NOT BE DRAWN,
BECAUSE IT COULD BE VERY PROVOCATIVE FOR A COUNTRY UNDER
GREAT TENSION ALREADY.
//END ACT//
MS BHUTTO ACCUSED PRIME MINISTER SHARIF'S GOVERNMENT OF IGNORING
THREATS TO PAKISTAN'S SECURITY FOLLOWING THE INDIAN NUCLEAR
TESTS, BY NOT BEING FORCEFUL ENOUGH IN PURSUING PAKISTAN'S
INTERESTS ABROAD.
//BHUTTO ACT//
HAD I BEEN PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN, I WOULD HAVE
IMMEDIATELY FLOWN TO CHINA, FLOWN TO THE IMPORTANT
MUSLIM COUNTRIES, AND CAMPED IN (U-S) CONGRESS TILL THEY
UNDERSTOOD THE THREAT TO PAKISTAN'S SECURITY. THIS
(SHARIF'S) GOVERNMENT COULD NOT DECIDE WHAT IT WANTS
TO DO.
//END ACT//
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS URGED PAKISTAN NOT TO CONDUCT A
NUCLEAR TEST. JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE ALSO INDICATED
THEY WILL IMPOSE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON ISLAMABAD IF IT IGNORES
CALLS FOR RESTRAINT.
BUT PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF SAYS PAKISTAN WILL NOT BE
DETERRED FROM ITS OWN NUCLEAR TESTING BY THE THREAT OF SANCTIONS,
SAYING THE COUNTRY'S SECURITY IS MORE IMPORTANT. (SIGNED)
NEB/AG/MMK
24-May-98 2:30 PM EDT (1830 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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