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U.S. Department of State

Daily Press Briefing

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QUESTION: The Pakistanis say that they will sign the CTBT if sanctions are lifted. In the discussions with the US government, have the Pakistanis insisted on the lifting of the Pressler and Glenn Amendments and other - (inaudible) -- ?

MR. RUBIN: We don't normally discuss what another country is secretly or privately discussing with us. We talk in generalities on such a matter. I hope you wouldn't want us to reveal what another country said; what would be the point of having a private discussion if we just told you about it? But broadly speaking, we have made clear that in order for sanctions to be lifted, there has to be substantial progress across the board on the matters of concern to us. And those are laid out in the Declaration of the Five and the UN Security Council Resolution 1172, which call upon Pakistan and India to adhere to global nuclear non-proliferation norms and to settle their differences through dialogue.

That is our view. There has to be substantial progress on the goals set forth in several areas and I would be happy to detail more specifically those goals for you, including the actual signature and ratification of this CTBT as a goal; a restraint regime covering the nuclear weapons and their means of delivery; an export control system; a moratorium on the production of fissile material; pending negotiation of the treaty and direct talks between India and Pakistan. These are essential components of those international statements. What we are looking for is substantial progress across the board in those areas. And so that is what we would regard as sufficient to consider suspension of sanctions provided we receive that kind of flexibility and authority from Congress which we now do not have.

As far as what the Pakistani's position is, I would encourage you to contact the Pakistani Embassy and they, I'm sure, will be happy to answer your question.

QUESTION: Is there a chicken and egg problem here? In other words, you seem to be saying that there must be substantial progress before the sanctions can be lifted; the Pakistanis are saying that they won't lift the sanctions - they won't make any concessions until the sanctions are lifted.

MR. RUBIN: I'm not sure that's an accurate representation of the Pakistani view, but let me say this. If we had reason to believe that there was going to be substantial progress - and it would be up to us to measure that across the board - then we would be seeking - could well seek authority or have already received the authority and act to suspend sanctions. I've described the goals; I didn't say that each of those goals had to be fully met. I said that there has to be substantial progress towards them. That's the kind of problem that diplomats are very good at working out is how to make sure that things go in parallel so that both sides' objectives can be met. But before we would even reach that point we would need to believe there was progress across the board and not simply in one area.

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