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DATE=4/15/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-248132
TITLE=PAK MISSILE ECONOMY (L)
BYLINE=SARAH HORNER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  PAKISTAN'S FINANCE MINISTER, ISHAQ DAR, SAYS PAKISTAN 
WILL FACE NO FRESH SANCTIONS FROM DONORS FOLLOWING ITS MISSILE 
TESTS THIS WEEK.  BUT, AS SARAH HORNER REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD, 
THE MINISTER SAYS A MEETING OF DONORS SCHEDULED TO START NEXT 
WEEK HAS BEEN POSTPONED.
TEXT: FINANCE MINISTER ISHAQ DAR APPEARED UPBEAT AND UNRUFFLED AT
A NEWS CONFERENCE HELD IN THE PAKISTANI CAPITAL, ISLAMABAD.  MR. 
DAR SAYS THERE WILL BE NO FINANCIAL REACTION FROM THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO THIS WEEK'S MISSILE TESTS IN SOUTH 
ASIA.
                          // DAR ACT //
         THERE WILL BE NO ECONOMIC FALLOUT OF THE LATEST 
         DEVELOPMENT OF INDIAN OR PAKISTANI MISSILES. THERE IS NO
         REASON WHY THERE SHOULD BE. WE HAVE OUR BASIC HOMEWORK 
         DONE AND WE HAVE NO REASON TO PANIC.
                          // END ACT //
PRIOR TO THE BRIEFING, MR DAR SAYS HE HELD A MEETING WITH A 
NUMBER OF FOREIGN AMBASSADORS FROM PAKISTAN'S DONOR COUNTRIES. HE
SAYS THEY AGREED TO POSTPONE A MEETING OF THE PAKISTAN 
DEVELOPMENT FORUM, SCHEDULED TO BE HELD IN PARIS NEXT WEEK.
MR DAR SAYS THE PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT REQUESTED THE POSTPONEMENT 
BECAUSE IT FELT THE MEETING WOULD BE DOMINATED BY THE MISSILE 
TESTS.
                          // DAR ACT //
         OUR EXPERIENCE LAST YEAR WAS NOT VERY POSITIVE. WHEN THE
         PAKISTANI DEVELOPMENT FORUM TOOK PLACE IN PAKISTAN, THE 
         BULK OF TIME WAS CONSUMED IN DEBATING AND DISCUSSING THE
         NON-ECONOMIC ISSUES. THEY WERE NUCLEAR-RELATED, THEY 
         WERE DEFENSE RELATED AND THOUGH THE MAIN AIM OF HAVING 
         (THE) PAKISTAN DEVELOPMENT FORUM IS TO DELIBERATE 
         ECONOMIC ISSUES....THE FORUM WAS CONVERTED LAST YEAR 
         INTO A DIFFERENT DEBATE.
                          // END ACT //
LAST YEAR, INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS WERE PLACED ON INDIA AND 
PAKISTAN IN THE WAKE OF BOTH COUNTRIES' NUCLEAR TESTS. PAKISTAN 
DEVALUED THE RUPEE, CUT BACK IMPORTS AND FROZE FOREIGN CURRENCY 
ACCOUNTS IN ANTICIPATION OF SANCTIONS. THE MOVE SCARED AWAY 
FOREIGN INVESTORS FROM PAKISTAN.
MR DAR SAYS THIS TIME THERE WILL BE NO IMPORT RESTRICTIONS, NOR 
WILL FOREIGN CURRENCY ACCOUNTS BE FROZEN. (SIGNED)
NEB/SLH/LTD/GE
15-Apr-99 10:00 AM EDT (1400 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.