RADIO PAKISTAN
07/0800 HOURS OF 30-6-1998 (TUESDAY)
SENATOR: The Chairman US Senate Foreign Relations Sub Committee on Near East and South Asia, Senator Sam Brown Back says the Kashmir is a flash point and has stressed the need for it resolution.
He was addressing a news conference at Islamabad Airport Monday along-with a ranking member of the Sub Committee Senator Chalres Robb before departing for home after their brief stay in the capital.
Senator Brown Back said their talks with Pakistani leaders were very productive and constructive.
The two US Senators also visited the Line of Control and had a view of the situation obtaining there.
The Chairman US Senate Foreign Relations Sub Committee said before coming to Islamabad they had meetings in New Delhi with the Indian Prime Minister ,Foreign Minister and Defence Minister and tried to convince them that the main cause of tension in South Asia was the Kashmir dispute.
SHAMSHAD-US: The Foreign Secretary Mr. Shamshad Ahmad now on a visit to the United States has had talks in Washington with the US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Pickering.
A spokesman of the State Department later said these meetings with Mr. Shamshad Ahmad were the first step towards high level dialogue between the United States and Pakistan.
Referring to the nuclear tests by India and Pakistan, the spokesman
said United States did not want to isolate either country. He pointed out
that the United States has a strong interest in keeping all lines of communications
open with both Pakistan and India.
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21/2200 HOURS OF 29-6-1998 (MONDAY)
PM-UN: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has appreciated the efforts of the UN Secretary General to address the root causes of tension in South Asia and called upon the world body to encourage a credible process of peace and rapprochement in the region.
He also called upon the United Nations for steps to implement its resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir.
The Prime Minister was talking to Mr. Alvaro De Soto, the personal envoy of the UN Secretary General who met him in Islamabad Monday and gave a letter from Mr. Kofi Annan.
Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif asked the world body especially the Security Council to differentiate between the approaches taken by India and Pakistan. He said Pakistan is ready to engage meaningfully with the UN and International community to address security situation in South Asia while India continues to defy efforts for peace and stability. He said the UN should standby its own resolutions and adopt a non-discriminatory approach. Otherwise its credibility and standing could erode with serious consequences for global peace and security.
He pointed out the precarious situation created by Indian violations of the Line of Control in Kashmir. He called upon the UN to discharge its responsibility to secure peace in the region. He told the envoy about his readiness to meet the Indian Prime Minister during the SAARC Summit in Colombo next month. He also renewed the invitation to the UN Secretary General Mr. Kofi Annan to visit Islamabad.
The envoy conveyed to the Prime Minister the continued concern of the UN Secretary General at the situation in South Asia and to find its solution.
The US Senators Sam Brownback and Charles Robb also called on the Prime Minister. They briefed him about US position on sanctions, promotion of non-proliferation and the need to restore peace and stability in South Asia. They referred to the sense of the US Senate resolution on Kashmir currently under consideration. The resolution underlines importance to resolve Kashmir dispute which had become a nuclear flash-point. They agreed that resolution of Kashmir dispute is central to peace and stability in the region.
The Prime Minister thanked the positive role of the two legislatures and appreciated the understanding now existed in the congress for Pakistan's security concerns including the resolution of the Kashmir problem.
Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif hoped that the United States will play a leading role to promote talks between Pakistan and India to resolve the grave security crisis in South Asia. He expressed the fear that unless Kashmir issue is resolved peace and security could not be ensured in the region.
Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif informed the Senators that Indian nuclear tests last month had created a great threat to Pakistan and the world community while focusing on non-proliferation regimes failed to address the precarious situation in the region. Pakistan was asked for restraint but no credible security assurances were offered. He said under the circumstances Pakistan had no option but to carry out nuclear tests in supreme national interest.
The two American Senators also held meetings with the Foreign Minister Mr. Gohar Ayub Khan and the Finance Minister Mr. Sartaj Aziz.
The meeting with the Foreign Minister covered Pakistan's security concerns, the Kashmir issue and conflict in Afghanistan. They agreed to help remove irritants to further promote Pak-US relations.
Senators Brownback and Senator Robb also received a briefing about the situation in occupied Kashmir especially along the Line of Control. They also visited the Line of Control and saw the death and destruction caused by the violations of the line of control by the Indian troops
During the meeting with the Finance Minister the Senators were told about the economic situation after the nuclear testing by Pakistan particularly in the context of sanctions announced by G-8 countries.
STATEMENT: Pakistan has welcomed the Chinese and US pledge to maintain peace and security in South Asia and to address causes of tensions including Jammu and Kashmir.
An official statement in Islamabad Monday evening especially welcomed the important element contained in the joint statement on South Asia issued in Beijing reaffirming their determination to jointly and individually help achieve a peaceful, prosperous and secure South Asia.
The statement stressed China and US to promote credible and effective process for the engagement of the international community to achieve peace and rapprochement in South Asia. The statement stressed to adopt a comprehensive approach to the inter-linked issues of peace, security, conventional imbalance, confidence building, conventional and nuclear arms control and disarmament in South Asia.
The Statement expressed satisfaction over the strengthening SINO-US relations signified by the visit of President Clinton to Beijing. The statement added that China and the United States with which Pakistan enjoyed close co-operation can count on our full support in their endeavours to strengthen global peace and universal prosperity.
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NEWSMEN-TESTS: A group of journalists from all over the country Monday visited along-with the Information Minister Mushahid Hussain Sayed the site where Pakistan conducted its nuclear tests on the 28th of last month near Dalbandin.
The Information Minister told the newsmen on the occasion that after the successful nuclear blasts Pakistan has emerged as an atomic power and its defence has been made more strengthened. He said after the nuclear blasts Pakistan's prestige has been increased on the International level.
The Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad told the journalists that the tests were very successful and no radio activity was monitored in the area. He said besides the main test, four sub KT tests were also conducted in the same mountain range.
Replying a question, the Information Minister denied the report about
defection of Pakistani Scientists and said no one has defected.
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