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DATE=5/29/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249973 (CQ)
TITLE=PAK / KASHMIR (L)
BYLINE=SCOTT ANGER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:   PAKISTAN SAYS ITS FOREIGN MINISTER WILL VISIT INDIA NEXT
WEEK FOR TALKS AIMED AT DIFFUSING TENSIONS OVER KASHMIR, WHICH 
HAVE SHARPLY RISEN SINCE THE DOWNING OF TWO INDIAN FIGHTER PLANES
BY PAKISTANI TROOPS IN THE PAST WEEK.  AS CORRESPONDENT SCOTT 
ANGER REPORTS, INDIA SAYS THE BODY OF THE DEAD PILOT SHOWS SIGNS 
HE MIGHT HAVE  NOT  BEEN KILLED IN THE CRASH.
TEXT:   INDIAN OFFICIALS SAY THE PRELIMINARY INSPECTION OF THE 
DEAD PILOT SHOWS BULLET WOUNDS -- INDICATING HE MAY HAVE BEEN 
SHOT DEAD AFTER EJECTING FROM HIS FIGHTER PLANE OVER PAKISTANI 
TERRITORY THURSDAY.
ON FRIDAY,  PAKISTAN'S MILITARY LED A GROUP OF JOURNALISTS TO THE
WRECKAGE OF A MIG FIGHTER PLANE THEY SAY HAD BEEN FLOWN BY FLIGHT
LIEUTENANT AJAY AHUJA -- WHOSE BODY REMAINED MISSING UNTIL LATE 
FRIDAY WHEN IT WAS RETURNED TO INDIA.
ITEMS CARRIED BY THE PILOT HAD BEEN RECOVERED, INCLUDING HIS 
IDENTIFICATION CARD, A COMPASS AND A SURVIVAL MANUAL.  PAKISTANI 
ARMY GENERAL NUSRAT SIAL SHOWED THE ITEMS TO JOURNALISTS.
                         ///SIAL ACT///
         THESE ARE SOME OF THE ITEMS WHICH HAVE BEEN FOUND FROM 
         THE AIRCRAFT.  YOU HAVE SEEN THE EJECTION SEAT, YOU HAVE
         SEEN THE PARACHUTE WHICH WAS USED BY THE PILOT -- SOME 
         OF HIS PERSONAL BELONGINGS, HIS WIRELESS SET, HIS 
         PISTOL.
                          ///END ACT///
NONE OF THE ITEMS DISPLAYED HAD BEEN STAINED WITH BLOOD, WHICH 
COULD INDICATE MR. AHUJA EJECTED SAFELY FROM HIS STRICKEN FIGHTER
PLANE.  THE CONDITIONS OF HIS PARACHUTE HARNESS AND ANTI G-FORCE 
VEST ALSO LOOKED AS IF THEY HAD BEEN TAKEN OFF WITHOUT ANY FORCE.
THE MOST TELLING SIGN, HOWEVER, THAT HE MAY HAVE SURVIVED THE 
DOWNING OF HIS PLANE WAS THAT HIS PISTOL HAD A HALF EMPTY 
AMMUNITION CLIP AND THERE WERE SPENT SHELL CASINGS WITH HIS 
BELONGINGS.
INDIA SAYS IT PLANS TO CONDUCT A POST-MORTEM EXAMINATION ON MR. 
AHUJA'S BODY TO DETERMINE HOW HE DIED AND WILL PRESENT ITS 
FINDINGS.
MEANWHILE, THE PILOT OF THE SECOND INDIAN FIGHTER PLANE, WHO 
EJECTED SAFELY, IS STILL BEING HELD BY PAKISTAN.  INDIA'S 
REQUESTS FOR HIS IMMEDIATE RETURN HAVE REPORTEDLY BEEN TURNED 
DOWN.
PAKISTAN SAYS BOTH PLANES VIOLATED ITS AIRSPACE WHEN THEY CROSSED
THE LINE OF CONTROL IN A REMOTE PART OF THE DISPUTED KASHMIR 
REGION.
IN AN EFFORT TO EASE TENSIONS BETWEEN THE RIVAL NUCLEAR STATES, 
PAKISTAN SAYS FOREIGN MINISTER SARTAJ AZIZ WILL TRAVEL TO NEW 
DELHI IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS TO MEET WITH HIS INDIAN COUNTERPART.  
OFFICIALS FROM BOTH COUNTRIES SAY THEY WANT TO PREVENT THE 
CONFLICT FROM ESCALATING.  AN EXACT DATE HAS NOT BEEN SET FOR THE
VISIT BECAUSE PLANS ARE STILL BEING FINALIZED.  (SIGNED)
NEB/SA/TMD/JO
29-May-99 12:37 PM EDT (1637 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.