DATE=6/6/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-233454
TITLE=PAK / INDIA / L
BYLINE=MEREDITH BUEL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF HAS CALLED ON HIS 
INDIAN COUNTERPART -- ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE -- TO END THE ARMS 
RACE IN SOUTH ASIA.  V-O-A ISLAMABAD CORRESPONDENT MEREDITH BUEL 
HAS DETAILS.

TEXT:  IN A SATURDAY SPEECH TO A JOINT SESSION OF PARLIAMENT, 
PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF SAID PAKISTAN AND INDIA SHOULD ENGAGE
IN "PURPOSEFUL AND MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE" TO RESOLVE THEIR 
DIFFERENCES.

TENSIONS BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN ROSE CONSIDERABLY LAST MONTH 
WHEN BOTH COUNTRIES CARRIED OUT NUCLEAR TESTS.

MANY NATIONS CONDEMNED THE TESTS.  THE UNITED STATES AND JAPAN 
IMPOSED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON INDIA AND PAKISTAN.

IN HIS SPEECH, MR. SHARIF SAID THE WORLD HAS ACCEPTED PAKISTAN'S 
NUCLEAR TESTS AS A "LOGICAL AND NATURAL" REACTION TO INDIA'S 
TESTS.

MR. SHARIF SAYS PAKISTAN IS NOT INTERESTED IN AGGRESSION AGAINST 
ANY OTHER COUNTRY.

HE SAYS "THE FUTURE OF EVERY PAKISTANI IS NOW SECURE."

IN HIS SPEECH MR. SHARIF SAYS PAKISTAN'S DISPUTE WITH INDIA OVER 
KASHMIR IS A STUMBLING BLOCK AND HE URGED THE WORLD TO HELP 
RESOLVE IT.

IN A RECENT SPEECH BEFORE THE INDIAN PARLIAMENT, MR. VAJPAYEE 
SAID NEW DELHI IS READY TO DISCUSS ALL ISSUES -- INCLUDING 
KASHMIR -- WITH PAKISTAN.

CONFIDENCE-BUILDING TALKS BETWEEN THE SOUTH ASIAN NEIGHBORS 
STALLED LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE KASHMIR ISSUE.

INDIA AND PAKISTAN HAVE FOUGHT TWO WARS OVER KASHMIR, IN THE PAST
HALF-CENTURY.  

NEW DELHI CONTROLS TWO-THIRDS OF KASHMIR AND ISLAMABAD CONTROLS 
THE REST. 

PAKISTAN WELCOMES THIRD-PARTY MEDIATION ON KASHMIR, BUT INDIA 
REJECTS THE IDEA -- SAYING THE DISPUTE SHOULD BE RESOLVED THROUGH
BILATERAL TALKS.

ISLAMABAD SAYS THE KASHMIR DISPUTE SHOULD BE DECIDED THROUGH A 
PLEBISCITE.  NEW DELHI CONSIDERS THE HIMALAYAN REGION AN INTEGRAL
PART OF INDIA.

AFTER MAKING HIS SPEECH PRIME MINISTER SHARIF IS SCHEDULED TO 
TRAVEL TO SAUDI ARABIA AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES.

HE IS EXPECTED TO SEEK FINANCIAL HELP TO EASE THE BURDEN OF 
ECONOMIC SANCTIONS SLAPPED ON PAKISTAN AFTER ITS NUCLEAR TESTS.  
(SIGNED)

NEB / MB / WD / WD

06-Jun-98 6:36 AM EDT (1036 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.