DATE=6/28/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-234687
TITLE=PAK UN (L)
BYLINE=ALI ZAIDI
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-N SPECIAL ENVOY -- ALVARO DE SOTO -- HELD TALKS
(SUNDAY) WITH PAKISTANI FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALS AS PART OF A
MISSION TO SEEK WAYS OF EASING TENSIONS BETWEEN INDIA AND
PAKISTAN FOLLOWING NUCLEAR TESTS BY BOTH COUNTRIES. AS ALI ZAIDI
REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD -- PAKISTAN INSISTS ONLY THIRD PARTY
MEDIATION CAN RESOLVE ITS DISPUTES WITH INDIA.
TEXT: PAKISTANI OFFICIALS WELCOMED THE VISIT OF U-N SPECIAL
ENVOY -- ALVARO DE SOTO -- AS A POSITIVE STEP TOWARDS
INTERNATIONAL INVOLVEMENT IN SETTLING DISPUTES BETWEEN ISLAMABAD
AND NEW DELHI.
MR. DE SOTO HELD TALKS WITH FOREIGN MINISTER GOHAR AYUB, AND IS
SCHEDULED MONDAY TO MEET PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF TO DELIVER A
MESSAGE FROM U-N SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI ANNAN.
THE MISSION IS ALSO TO SET THE STAGE FOR A VISIT TO THE REGION BY
THE SECRETARY GENERAL. THE ENVOY SAYS THERE IS NO TIMETABLE FOR
SUCH A VISIT, BUT MR. ANNAN WANTS TO COME AT WHAT HE CALLS -- THE
RIGHT TIME.
PAKISTAN SEES THE MISSION AS PUTTING PRESSURE ON NEW DELHI TO
ACCEPT INTERNATIONAL MEDIATION IN RESOLVING THE DISPUTE ABOUT THE
HIMALAYAN STATE OF KASHMIR. BUT INDIA DECLINED TO ALLOW THE
ENVOY TO INCLUDE NEW DELHI ON HIS ITINERARY, INSISTING NO OUTSIDE
PARTY CAN MEDIATE THE KASHMIR DISPUTE.
ASKED HOW EFFECTIVE A U-N PEACE MISSION WOULD BE WITHOUT INDIA'S
INVOLVEMENT, MR. DE SOTO SAYS IT IS TOO EARLY TO RULE OUT FUTURE
PROGRESS.
// DE SOTO ACT //
THERE IS NO VISIT TO INDIA PLANNED AT THIS MOMENT, BUT I
DO NT WANT TO RULE OUT THAT POSSIBILITY. THINGS CAN
PROCEED IN SEVERAL STAGES.
// END ACT //
MR. DE SOTO SAYS THE UNITED NATIONS IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE
NUCLEAR TESTS BY INDIA AND PAKISTAN -- TWO COUNTRIES THAT HAVE
FOUGHT THREE WARS IN THE PAST 50-YEARS.
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HAS CALLED FOR PAKISTAN AND INDIA TO
SIGN NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION AND TEST BAN TREATIES AND GIVE UP
THEIR WEAPONS PROGRAMS. BUT PAKISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER GOHAR
AYUB SAYS POWERS OUTSIDE THE REGION MUST REALIZE THE ISSUE IS
KASHMIR -- NOT NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
// GOHAR ACT //
THEY ARE TRYING TO PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE. THEY
DO NOT WANT TO SEE WHAT THE ACTUAL SITUATION IS, WHY HAS
ALL THIS HAPPENED. THE NUCLEARIZATION OF VERY LARGE
ARMIES OR ARMED FORCES ON THE SUBCONTINENT HAS BEEN AS
A DIRECT RESULT OF THE DISPUTE IN KASHMIR ITSELF.
// END ACT //
MR. AYUB STRESSES IT IS TIME FOR THIRD-PARTY MEDIATION. HE SAYS
HIGH-LEVEL BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS WERE HELD IN FAST SUCCESSION
BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN, BUT PROVED FUTILE.
// GOHAR ACT //
EIGHT IN NINE MONTHS -- I CAN NOT SEE A RECORD ANYWHERE
IN THE WORLD, AT THIS LEVEL -- TWO COUNTRIES OR
PERSONALITIES SIT TO TALK, AND THE END RESULT IS NIL. I
MEAN, THERE IS A LIMIT TO WHICH YOU CAN SIT ON
PLEASANTRIES ACROSS THE TABLE WITHOUT MAKING PROGRESS.
// END ACT //
THE FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS HE IS NOT HOPEFUL OF PROGRESS AT AN
UPCOMING MEETING BETWEEN THE PAKISTANI AND INDIAN PRIME MINISTERS
IN SRI LANKA.
THIS WILL BE THE FIRST MEETING BETWEEN PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER
NAWAZ SHARIF AND NEW INDIAN PRIME MINISTER ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE.
PAKISTAN HAS ACCUSED MR. VAJPAYEE'S GOVERNMENT OF PURSUING AN
INCREASINGLY AGGRESSIVE STANCE THAT COULD LEAD TO WAR.
SINCE THE TWO COUNTRIES CONDUCTED NUCLEAR TESTS, HOSTILITIES HAVE
FLARED UP REGULARLY ON SEVERAL BORDER AREAS, ESPECIALLY ON THE
SENSITIVE "LINE OF CONTROL" THAT DIVIDES KASHMIR BETWEEN INDIAN
AND PAKISTANI CONTROLLED TERRITORIES. (SIGNED)
NEB/AZ/RAE
28-Jun-98 1:20 PM EDT (1720 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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