• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=5/28/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249920
TITLE=PAK/INDIA/KASHMIR (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=AYAZ GUL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO: PAKISTAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER, SARTAJ AZIZ, HAS URGED INDIA 
TO "DE-ESCALATE" THE SITUATION IN THE DISPUTED REGION OF KASHMIR.
AYAZ GUL REPORTS FROM ISLAMABAD THAT INDIA CONTINUES POUNDING 
GUERRILLA POSITIONS OCCUPIED BY WHAT IT SAYS ARE PAKISTAN-BACKED 
INFILTRATORS.
TEXT:  FOREIGN MINISTER SARTAJ AZIZ SAYS PAKISTAN'S DOWNING OF 
TWO INDIAN JETS WAS A DEFENSIVE ACT BECAUSE HE SAYS INDIA 
CONTINUED TO VIOLATE PAKISTANI AIRSPACE DESPITE SEVERAL WARNINGS.
                          //AZIZ ACT//
         ONCE THEIR (INDIAN) PLANES COME INTO OUR AREA, ACROSS 
         THE LINE OF CONTROL, THEN THAT IS A VIOLATION OF OUR 
         SOVEREIGNTY.  THE FACT THAT ONE PLANE FELL FIVE 
         KILOMETERS INSIDE OUR SIDE OF THE LINE OF CONTROL AND 
         THE OTHER ONE FELL TEN-KILOMETERS INSIDE OUR LINE OF 
         CONTROL, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THEY HAVE INTRUDED INTO OUR 
         AIRSPACE.
                           //END ACT//
PAKISTAN SAYS IT SHOT DOWN THE PLANES THURSDAY AFTER THEY CROSSED
INTO PAKISTANI TERRITORY ALONG THE DISPUTED BORDER IN KASHMIR.  
PAKISTAN SAYS ONE INDIAN PILOT DIED IN THE ATTACK AND THE OTHER 
HAS BEEN CAPTURED BY PAKISTANI SOLDIERS.
INDIAN MILITARY OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO SAY THEIR JETS DID NOT 
VIOLATE PAKISTANI AIRSPACE.
THE PAKISTANI FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS INDIA NEEDS TO DEFUSE THE 
TENSION.
                          //AZIZ ACT//
         WE ARE URGING INDIA TO DE-ESCALATE THE SITUATION AND 
         CERTAINLY NOT VIOLATE OUR AIRSPACE OR VIOLATE THE LINE 
         OF CONTROL (IN KASHMIR).  AND WE HOPE THAT INDIA WILL 
         RESPOND AND THAT BOTH SIDES CAN DE-ESCALATE THE PRESENT 
         SITUATION AND TRY TO FIND THE SOLUTION OF A LOCAL 
         PROBLEM AT THE LOCAL LEVEL RATHER THAN TRYING TO EXPAND 
         THE AREA AND ESCALATE IT INTO A MUCH BIGGER CONFLICT.
                           //END ACT//
THE DOWNING OF THE INDIAN PLANES IS SEEN AS A MAJOR MILITARY 
ESCALATION IN KASHMIR, WHICH IS DIVIDED BETWEEN INDIAN AND 
PAKISTAN.  THE TWO SOUTH ASIAN NATIONS ALREADY HAVE FOUGHT TWO 
WARS OVER THE REGION.
WEDNESDAY, INDIA LAUNCHED AIR STRIKES IN ITS PART OF KASHMIR TO 
FLUSH OUT WHAT IT CALLS INFILTRATORS BACKED BY PAKISTANI 
SOLDIERS.  THE AIR STRIKES ARE CONTINUING.  (SIGNED)
NEB/AG/GE
28-May-99 8:28 AM EDT (1228 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.