DATE=5/27/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249888
TITLE=PAKISTAN - Q & A WITH SCOTT ANGER
BYLINE=AYAZ GUL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE PAKISTANI MILITARY HAS FLOWN A GROUP OF JOURNALISTS
TO THE REGION NEAR THE LINE OF CONTROL (L-O-C) -- WHICH DIVIDES
THE INDIAN AND PAKISTANI PARTS OF KASHMIR -- TO VIEW THE WRECKAGE
OF THE INDIAN PLANES THAT WERE SHOT DOWN. VOA CORRESPONDENT
SCOTT ANGER HAS TRAVELED TO THE MOUNTAINOUS REGION. AYAZ GUL IN
ISLAMABAD HAS DONE A Q&A WITH SCOTT ANGER. HERE IS THE
TRANSCRIPT:
Q: WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF THE INDIAN PILOT WHO WAS CAPTURED BY
THE PAKISTANI TROOPS ?
A: HIS CONDITION IS NOT KNOWN AT THIS TIME, BUT WE HAVE BEEN
TOLD THAT HE IS ALIVE. THE PAKISTANI ARMY SAYS WE WILL BE TAKEN
TO SEE THE CAPTURED PILOT EARLY FRIDAY MORNING AND THE MILITARY
WILL ALSO TAKE US TO THE WRECKAGE SITE, WHICH REPORTEDLY IS IN
VERY ROUGH TERRAIN.
Q: HOW WERE THE INDIAN PLANES BROUGHT DOWN?
THE PAKISTAN ARMY SAYS BOTH INDIAN MIGS WERE BROUGHT DOWN BY
SURFACE TO AIR MISSILES WHICH WERE FIRED FROM THE PAKISTANI SIDE
OF THE LINE OF CONTROL (IN KASHMIR). THE INCIDENT DOES THREATEN
TO ESCALATE AN ALREADY TENSE SITUATION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.
Q: IS THERE ANY MILITARY ACTIVITY WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
A: YES, HERE IN SKARDU (AT A HEIGHT OF OVER 17-HUNDRED METERS),
WHICH IS ABOUT 130 KILOMETERS NORTH OF THE REGION WHERE THE
INDIAN AIRSTRIKES HAVE TAKEN PLACE. A NUMBER OF TROOPS HAVE BEEN
SEEN LOADING SUPPLIES IN THE TRUCKS AND THE MILITARY AIRBASE HERE
IS ACTIVE WITH THE HELICOPTER TRAFFIC AND THE PAKISTAN ARMY
REMAINS ON HIGH ALERT HERE AND PAKISTAN HAS CALLED FOR
INTERNATIONAL MEDIATION TO DEFUSE THE SITUATION.
NEB/KL
27-May-99 1:59 PM EDT (1759 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
