DATE=6/13/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233847
TITLE=PAK NUCLEAR (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=ALI ZAIDI
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PAKISTAN SAYS THE DECISION BY THE WORLD MOST
INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS AND RUSSIA -- A GROUP KNOWN AS THE G-8 --
TO POSTPONE LOANS AS PUNISHMENT FOR THE COUNTRY'S NUCLEAR TESTS
IS COUNTER PRODUCTIVE. AS ALI ZAIDI REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD --
PAKISTAN SAYS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST DO MORE TO HELP
RESOLVE ITS DISPUTE WITH INDIA OVER KASHMIR.
TEXT: PAKISTAN'S FOREIGN OFFICE SPOKESMAN -- TARIQ ALTAF -- SAYS
THE COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE G-8 MEETING IN LONDON CONTAINS SOME
POSITIVE ELEMENTS -- BUT OVERALL IT IS "COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE AND
RETROGRESSIVE."
// ALTAF ACT //
THE POLICY TO PUNISH IN ORDER TO PUSH THE
NON-PROLIFERATION AGENDA WILL NOT SUCCEED. IT IS
UNREALISTIC AND BASED ON A FICTIONAL NOTION OF THE
REALITIES IN SOUTH ASIA.
// END ACT //
FRIDAY, THE G-8 FOREIGN MINISTERS DECIDED TO POSTPONE LOANS FROM
THE WORLD BANK AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO
PAKISTAN AND INDIA, IN RESPONSE TO THE NUCLEAR TESTS CARRIED OUT
BY THE TWO SOUTH ASIAN RIVALS IN MAY.
MR. ALTAF SAYS THE G-8 COUNTRIES SHOULD HAVE PUT MORE EMPHASIS ON
ISSUES OF PEACE AND SECURITY IN SOUTH ASIA.
HE SAYS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST GET ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN
RESOLVING DISPUTES BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN, IN PARTICULAR THE
DISPUTE OVER THE HIMALAYAN STATE OF KASHMIR. MR. ALTAF SAYS
ENCOURAGING BILATERAL DIALOGUE IS NOT ENOUGH.
// ALTAF ACT //
THE G-8 SHOULD HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT FOR FIFTY YEARS THE
BILATERAL DIALOGUE BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN HAS
PRODUCED NO RESULTS. TO PRESCRIBE MORE OF THE SAME
AMOUNTS TO AN ABNEGATION OF (RELINQUISHING)
RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER U-N CHARTER AND INTERNATIONAL
LAW.
// END ACT //
THE SPOKESMAN SAYS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST NOW DRAW UP
CONCRETE PLANS TO DEAL WITH THE KASHMIR DISPUTE, WHICH PAKISTAN
SAYS IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF ITS TENSIONS WITH INDIA.
THE TWO COUNTRIES HAVE FOUGHT TWO OF THEIR THREE WARS OVER
KASHMIR. INDIA INSISTS THE ISSUE CAN ONLY BE RESOLVED
BILATERALLY, AND HAS REFUSED OFFERS OF INTERNATIONAL MEDIATION.
BOTH COUNTRIES HAVE CALLED FOR TALKS SINCE CONDUCTING NUCLEAR
TESTS LAST MONTH, AND ANNOUNCED MORATORIUMS ON FURTHER TESTING.
BUT THEY DISAGREE ON HOW TO PROCEED WITH THE DIALOGUE.
MR. ALTAF ACCUSES NEW DELHI OF BEING INSINCERE TOWARDS BILATERAL
DISCUSSIONS.
// ALTAF ACT //
WE ARE FOR TALKS, PERIOD. BUT WHEN THESE TALKS ARE HELD
THEY DON'T PRODUCE ANY RESULTS, BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF
SINCERITY ON THE PART OF OUR INTERLOCUTERS. SO IT IS
APPARENT TO US THAT TO GO INTO THE SAME STERILE PROCESS
WILL NOT BRING RESULTS.
// END ACT //
FRIDAY, PAKISTAN REJECTED AN INDIAN OFFER TO RESUME FOREIGN
SECRETARY LEVEL TALKS IN NEW DELHI ON JUNE 22ND. PAKISTAN SAYS
INDIA HAS GONE BACK ON ITS COMMITMENT TO THE AGENDA AGREED TO
PREVIOUSLY. (SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/JO
13-Jun-98 8:25 AM EDT (1225 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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