DATE=2/3/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245039
TITLE=PAK / U-S TALKS (L-O)
BYLINE=SARAH HORNER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: PAKISTANI OFFICIALS SAY PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN TALKS
HELD WITH THE U-S GOVERNMENT. AS SARAH HORNER REPORTS FROM
ISLAMABAD, FEW DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE ABOUT THE DISCUSSIONS, WHICH
FOCUSED ON NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION IN SOUTH ASIA.
TEXT: A JOINT STATEMENT ISSUED BY U-S AND PAKISTANI OFFICIALS
SAYS BOTH PARTIES SHOULD FURTHER EFFORTS TO PROMOTE PEACE AND
STABILITY IN SOUTH ASIA. THE STATEMENT ALSO EXPRESSED STRONG
SUPPORT FOR TALKS BETWEEN PAKISTAN AND INDIA.
LONG-TERM TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO NEIGHBORS HAS INCREASED SINCE
BOTH INDIA AND PAKISTAN CONDUCTED NUCLEAR TESTS LAST YEAR. BOTH
COUNTRIES HAVE AGREED TO SIGN THE NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY ONCE
ALL SANCTIONS RELATING TO THE NUCLEAR TESTS ARE LIFTED.
THE U-S DELEGATION, HEADED BY DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE
TALBOTT, HELD A DAY OF TALKS TUESDAY IN THE PAKISTANI CAPITAL,
ISLAMABAD. PAKISTANI FOREIGN SECRETARY SHAMSHAD AHMAD SAYS THE
DISCUSSIONS WERE GOOD, CHARACTERIZED BY THE SAME FRANKNESS AND
CORDIALITY THAT MR AHMAD SAYS HAS ACCOMPANIED PREVIOUS ROUNDS OF
TALKS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND PAKISTAN.
// AHMAD ACT //
EIGHT MONTHS AND EIGHT ROUNDS. I THINK THAT IN ITSELF
INDICATES THE SERIOUSNESS AND INTENSITY OF OUR
ENGAGEMENT AND THIS ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN FOR A PURPOSE.
THAT PURPOSE HAS BEEN BRINGING OUR POSITIONS AND OUR
RESPECTIVE CONCERNS AND OBJECTIVES CLOSER. DURING OUR
EIGHT ROUNDS OF TALKS WE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY ACHIEVED OUT
OBJECTIVES.
// END ACT //
PAKISTANI JOURNALIST TALAT HUSSEIN SAYS TALKS INVOLVING THE
UNITED STATES, PAKISTAN AND INDIA HAVE NOT ACHIEVED MUCH BUT
ARE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
// HUSSEIN ACT //
U-S ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE KARL INDERFURTH HAD
WARNED BEFOREHAND THAT THESE ARE NOT MAKE-OR-BREAK
TALKS IN THE SENSE THAT BOTH SIDES WERE NOT EXPECTING
ANY MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH. THE WHOLE PROCESS OF TALKS
ITSELF SUGGESTS THAT THE TWO SIDES DO SEE A REASON TO
TALK TO EACH OTHER. SO, I WOULD SAY THAT WHEREAS A
CONCRETE, TANGIBLE OUTCOME HAS BEEN MISSING AT THE END
OF THE TALKS, THE PROCESS STILL SEEMS TO BE HEADED
TOWARD A POINT WHERE BOTH SIDES WILL BEGIN TO AGREE ON
HOW TO CURB PROLIFERATION IN SOUTH ASIA.
// END ACT //
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE TALBOTT HAS LEFT PAKISTAN. BUT THE
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SOUTH ASIA, KARL INDERFURTH, HAS
STAYED BEHIND, MEETING REPRESENTATIVES FROM AFGHANISTAN -- WHICH
BORDERS PAKISTAN.
// OPT // ONE MEETING WILL BE WITH THE TALEBAN ISLAMIC MOVEMENT
WHICH CONTROLS MOST OF AFGHANISTAN. U-S OFFICIALS SAY ON THE
AGENDA IS SAUDI DISSIDENT AND SUSPECTED TERRORIST OSAMA BIN
LADEN, WHO LIVES IN AFGHANISTAN. THE TALEBAN HAVE PREVIOUSLY
REFUSED U-S EXTRADITION REQUESTS FOR MR. BIN LADEN TO FACE
CHARGES OF BOMBING U-S EMBASSIES IN AFRICA LAST AUGUST. (SIGNED)
NEB/SLH/LTD/KL
03-Feb-99 10:11 AM EST (1511 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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