DATE=7/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235775
TITLE=PAK / U-S / NUCLEAR (L)
BYLINE=AYAZ GUL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: DEPUTY U-S SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE TALBOTT HAS ARRIVED
IN ISLAMABAD FROM INDIA, TO DISCUSS NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION
ISSUES WITH PAKISTANI LEADERS. MR. TALBOTT'S VISIT IS PART OF
WASHINGTON'S EFFORTS TO DEFUSE TENSION IN SOUTH ASIA FOLLOWING
THE TIT-FOR-TAT NUCLEAR TESTS INDIA AND PAKISTAN STAGED TWO
MONTHS AGO. AYAZ GUL REPORTS FROM THE PAKISTANI CAPITAL.
TEXT: MR. TALBOTT FLEW INTO ISLAMABAD FROM NEW DELHI TUESDAY
FOR A THIRD ROUND OF TALKS WITH PAKISTANI OFFICIALS. HE IS
BEGINNING OFFICIAL TALKS (AT 1200 UTC) WITH PAKISTAN'S CHIEF
DIPLOMAT, SHAMSHAD AHMED. THE TWO MET IN WASHINGTON EARLIER THIS
MONTH.
MR. TALBOTT ALSO WILL MEET PAKISTAN'S PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF
AND FOREIGN MINISTER GOHAR AYUB KHAN ON WEDNESDAY.
SINCE THE TWO NATIONS CONDUCTED NUCLEAR TESTS IN MAY, THE UNITED
STATES HAS BEEN TRYING TO PERSUADE PAKISTAN AND INDIA TO SIGN THE
INTERNATIONAL TEST BAN TREATY, THE C-T-B-T, UNCONDITIONALLY. THE
RIVAL TESTS HAVE RAISED FEARS OF A NUCLEAR ARMS RACE IN SOUTH
ASIA.
THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER NATIONS SLAPPED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON
BOTH INDIA AND PAKISTAN AFTER THE NUCLEAR BLASTS, IN AN ATTEMPT
TO PERSUADE THE TWO COUNTRIES TO COMMIT TO THE TEST BAN TREATY.
EXPERTS SAY THE SANCTIONS HAVE HAD A DAMAGING IMPACT ON
PAKISTAN'S ALREADY TROUBLED ECONOMY. THE COUNTRY'S FINANCE
MINISTER HAS WARNED PAKISTAN COULD FACE A MAJOR FINANCIAL CRISIS
IF THE SANCTIONS GO BEYOND THREE MONTHS.
PAKISTAN HAS SAID MR. TALBOTT'S VISIT WILL BRING THE TWO
COUNTRIES CLOSER TO THE LIFTING OF U-S ECONOMIC SANCTIONS.
THE U-S ENVOY REPORTEDLY IS CARRYING A PERSONAL MESSAGE TO THE
PRIME MINISTER FROM PRESIDENT CLINTON, REINFORCING
NON-PROLIFERATION DEMANDS BY THE WORLD'S FIVE NUCLEAR POWERS AND
THE GROUP OF EIGHT LEADING INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS.
PAKISTAN SAYS THE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AND THEIR IMPACT, PAKISTAN'S
SECURITY CONCERNS AND THE C-T-B-T ALL WILL BE ON THE TABLE DURING
THE TALKS.
OBSERVERS BELIEVE THE UNITED STATES WILL BE PRESSING PAKISTAN TO
SIGN THE TEST-BAN TREATY IN EXCHANGE FOR A WAIVER OF ECONOMIC
SANCTIONS.
A FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SAYS ISLAMABAD WILL NOT SIGN THE
C-T-B-T IF IT COMPROMISES THE COUNTRY'S SECURITY.
/// SPOKESMAN ACT ///
WE WILL NOT BE PAINTED INTO A CORNER. WE WILL RETAIN
OUR OPTIONS BUT IT IS NOT A RIGID POSITION. THERE ARE
NO INFLEXIBILITIES. WE HAVE AN OPEN MIND AND THAT IS
HOW WE WILL ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS IN THIS CONTINUED
PROCESS WITH THE U-S AND (DEPUTY) SECRETARY (OF STATE)
TALBOTT.
/// END ACT ///
PAKISTAN HAS LONG MAINTAINED IT WILL SIGN THE C-T-B-T IF INDIA
DOES SO. BUT, AFTER THE NUCLEAR TESTS, ISLAMABAD SAID PAKISTAN
WILL RETAIN ITS OPTIONS EVEN IF NEW DELHI SIGNS THE TEST-BAN
TREATY.
/// REST OPT ///
PAKISTAN IS ALSO SEEKING U-S HELP IN ENGAGING INDIA IN WHAT IT
CALLS A MEANINGFUL AND PURPOSEFUL DIALOGUE ON DISPUTED REGION OF
KASHMIR.
THE TWO COUNTRIES HAVE FOUGHT TWO WARS OVER THE REGION SINCE
GAINING INDEPENDENCE FROM BRITAIN IN 1947, AND THEIR SHARED
BORDER REMAINS TENSE BECAUSE OF THE DISPUTE. INDIA CONTROLS
TWO-THIRDS OF KASHMIR AND PAKISTAN HOLDS THE REST. (SIGNED)
NEB/AG/CB-T/WTW
21-Jul-98 5:41 AM EDT (0941 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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