DATE=3/22/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=PAK / FOREIGN MINISTER (L-O)
NUMBER=2-260469
BYLINE=SCOTT ANGER
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: During a speech to the Indian parliament,
President Clinton has restated the U-S stance against
forcing mediation in the Kashmir dispute between India
and Pakistan. The president has called on both
countries to renew dialogue aimed at resolving their
differences. As V-O-A's Scott Anger reports from
Islamabad, Pakistan's foreign minister insists
previous bilateral attempts to resolve the 52-year
dispute have proven unsuccessful.
TEXT: Officials in Pakistan say talks later this
week between President Clinton and Pakistan's military
leader, General Pervez Musharraf, will focus on the
long-simmering issue of Kashmir.
In an interview with V-O-A, Pakistani Foreign Minister
Abdul Sattar says, to guarantee peace in South Asia,
the Kashmir dispute needs to be resolved. He says the
only way that can be achieved is through third party
mediation.
///SATTAR ACTUALITY///
If there is to be a solution, if there is to be a
durable peace in our region, that core issue (Kashmir)
needs to be addressed. The experience of bilateral
negotiations between Pakistan and India is rather
bleak. The two countries have never been able to
resolve any serious dispute through bilateral
discussions. So, we hope that the United States -- as
the leading power in the world today -- can play a
salutary role.
///END ACTUALITY///
India says the Kashmir issue is a bilateral one. It
opposes third-party intervention in the dispute.
Kashmir has been a source of military tensions between
the two countries since British India was partitioned
-- creating Pakistan and an independent India -- in
1947. The two nuclear neighbors have fought two wars
over the Himalayan region and came close to a third
last year. Both sides routinely fire at each other
across the ceasefire line, which divides Kashmir
between the two countries.
Observers here believe new agreements of close
cooperation between India and the United States may
undermine Pakistan's strategic position in the region.
But Foreign Minister Sattar does not agree. He says
Pakistan -- which has been a close U-S ally -- will be
focusing on strengthening its traditional ties during
President Clinton's visit.
///SATTAR ACTUALITY///
We have had no concern with regard to the increase in
cooperation between the United States and other
countries, including India. We will be discussing
what more can be done by us -- Pakistan and the United
States. We will be looking at the positive side of
our bilateral relations rather than the U-S relations
with other countries in our region.
///END ACTUALITY///
President Clinton will arrive in Pakistan Saturday, to
meet with the country's President Rafiq Tarar. The
focus of the visit will be on President Clinton's
discussions with Pakistan's military ruler General
Musharraf, who ousted the country's democratically
elected government in a bloodless coup October 12th.
(SIGNED)
NEB/SA/WD
22-Mar-2000 07:06 AM EDT (22-Mar-2000 1206 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
