DATE=5/28/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232937
TITLE=PAK NUKE / INDIA REACT (L-O'NITER)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIA'S PRIME MINISTER, ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE, SAYS
PAKISTAN'S DETONATION OF NUCLEAR DEVICES JUSTIFIES INDIA'S
DECISION TWO WEEKS AGO TEST FIVE NUCLEAR DEVICES OF ITS OWN.
VOA'S JIM TEEPLE REPORTS THE INDIAN PRIME MINISTER ALSO SAYS THE
PAKISTANI TEST COULD LEAD HIM TO RETHINK INDIA'S DECISION TO
PLACE A MORATORIUM ON ALL FURTHER TESTS.
TEXT: PRIME MINISTER ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE SAID THE PAKISTANI
TESTS VINDICATED HIS NUCLEAR POLICY AND THAT INDIA WAS READY TO
MEET ANY CHALLENGE.
NEWS OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT PAKISTAN HAD SET OFF NUCLEAR TESTS
CAME JUST AS MR. VAJPAYEE WAS DEFENDING HIS DECISION BEFORE
PARLIAMENT TO DETONATE FIVE NUCLEAR DEVICES TWO WEEKS AGO.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS THURSDAY EVENING, MR. VAJPAYEE SAID HIS
DECISION WAS A RESPONSE TO PAKISTAN'S PLANS TO DETONATE NUCLEAR
DEVICES OF ITS OWN.
// INSERT VAJPAYEE ACTUALITY //
IN FACT, IT WAS PAKISTAN'S CLANDESTINE PREPARATIONS
WHICH FORCED US TO TAKE THE PATH OF NUCLEAR DETERRENCE.
// END ACTUALITY //
MR. VAJPAYEE ALSO SAID THE PAKISTANI TESTS COULD CAUSE HIM TO
RECONSIDER INDIA'S DECISION NOT TO TEST AGAIN. THE PRIME
MINISTER SAID A NEW SITUATION HAS COME UP, AND IT WILL BE TAKEN
INTO ACCOUNT IN FORMULATING INDIA'S NUCLEAR POLICY.
THE OPPOSITION CONGRESS PARTY ON THURSDAY CALLED THE PAKISTANI
TESTS A GRAVE DEVELOPMENT WHICH COULD SET OFF A REGIONAL ARMS
RACE. BUT CONGRESS PARTY LEADERS IN PARLIAMENT ALSO CALLED ON
MR. VAJPAYEE'S HINDU NATIONALIST PARTY TO SHOW RESTRAINT.
// REST OPT //
UDAY BHASKAR, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE FOR DEFENSE
STUDIES AND ANALYSIS IN NEW DELHI, SAYS WHILE THE TESTS IN INDIA
AND PAKISTAN ARE A DRAMATIC NEW DEVELOPMENT, THEY SHOULD NOT BE
SEEN AS DESTABILIZING THE REGION.
// INSERT BHASKAR ACTUALITY //
A NUCLEAR TEST BY ITSELF SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS
DESTABILIZING. THIS HAS TO BE PLACED IN A GLOBAL
CONTEXT. OVER THE LAST FIFTY YEARS THE WORLD HAS
WITNESSED ABOUT 2200 NUCLEAR TESTS. THE U-S HAS
CONDUCTED ABOUT 12-HUNDRED, THE FORMER SOVIET UNION, NOW
RUSSIA HAS CONDUCTED 900, FRANCE 210, AND CHINA 45. SO
THEREFORE ONE HAS TO SEE THE NUCLEAR TESTS IN A LARGER
POLITICAL CONTEXT.
// END ACTUALITY //
MR. BHASKAR SAYS NOW THAT BOTH COUNTRIES HAVE CONDUCTED NUCLEAR
TESTS, BOTH COUNTRIES HAVE A CHANCE TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS -- TO
EASE THE SUBSTANTIAL TENSIONS WHICH HAVE GRIPPED BOTH INDIA AND
PAKISTAN OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS. (SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/LTD
28-May-98 1:23 PM EDT (1723 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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