DATE=7/22/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235864
TITLE=PAK / U-S / NUCLEAR (L)
BYLINE=AYAZ GUL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SENIOR PAKISTANI AND AMERICAN OFFICIALS DISCUSSING
NON-PROLIFERATION ISSUES IN ISLAMABAD HAVE EXTENDED THEIR TALKS
TO THURSDAY AFTER TWO INTENSIVE ROUNDS OF DIALOGUE. OFFICIALS ON
BOTH SIDES HAVE REFUSED TO MAKE ANY COMMENT SO FAR. AYAZ GUL
REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD.
TEXT: PAKISTAN'S CHIEF DIPLOMAT, SHAMSHAD AHMED, AND U-S DEPUTY
SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE TALBOTT MET FOR A SECOND ROUND OF TALKS
LATE WEDNESDAY IN ISLAMABAD.
A FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT ISSUED AFTER THE MEETING DESCRIBED
THE DISCUSSIONS AS SERIOUS AND SUBSTANTIVE.
THE STATEMENT SAID THERE WILL BE A FINAL SESSION OF THE TALKS
SHORTLY BEFORE THE U-S DELEGATION RETURNS HOME THURSDAY MORNING.
EARLIER MR. TALBOTT MET PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF AND
PAKISTAN'S MILITARY CHIEF, GENERAL JEHANGIR KARAMAT. A
STATEMENT ISSUED AFTER THAT MEETING QUOTED MR. SHARIF AS TELLING
THE U-S DELEGATION THAT KASHMIR WAS AT THE HEART OF THE
DETERIORATING SITUATION IN SOUTH ASIA.
INDIA AND PAKISTAN HAVE FOUGHT TWO WARS OVER KASHMIR, AND THE
DISPUTED REGION IS STILL A SOURCE OF TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO
NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.
MR. TALBOTT ARRIVED IN ISLAMABAD FROM NEW DELHI AFTER HOLDING
SIMILAR TALKS WITH THE INDIAN LEADERS THERE EARLIER THIS WEEK.
HIS VISIT TO SOUTH ASIA IS PART OF THE UNITED STATES EFFORTS TO
DEFUSE TENSION IN THE REGION FOLLOWING THE NUCLEAR BLASTS BY
INDIA AND PAKISTAN TWO MONTHS AGO.
THE TESTS HAVE RAISED FEARS OF A NUCLEAR ARMS RACE IN SOUTH ASIA
AND WASHINGTON IS TRYING TO PERSUADE THE TWO NATIONS TO SIGN THE
INTERNATIONAL TEST BAN TREATY (CTBT) UNCONDITIONALLY.
THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER NATIONS IMPOSED PUNITIVE ECONOMIC
SANCTIONS ON BOTH INDIA AND PAKISTAN AFTER THE NUCLEAR TESTS.
THE SANCTIONS HAVE HAD A DAMAGING IMPACT ON PAKISTAN'S ALREADY
TROUBLED ECONOMY. PAKISTAN'S FINANCE MINISTER HAS WARNED THE
COUNTRY COULD FACE A MAJOR FINANCIAL CRISIS IF THE SANCTIONS GO
BEYOND THREE MONTHS.
A PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT STATEMENT SAYS KARL INDERFURTH, A MEMBER
OF THE VISITING U-S DELEGATION, HAS TOLD FINANCE MINISTER SARTAJ
AZIZ THAT WASHINGTON WILL NOT BLOCK PAKISTANI REQUESTS FOR
LOANS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF). (SIGNED)
NEB/AG/KL
22-Jul-98 3:04 PM EDT (1904 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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