DATE=7/23/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235907
TITLE=PAK / U-S / NUCLEAR (L)
BYLINE=AYAZ GUL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  AFTER TWO DAYS OF TALKS IN ISLAMABAD, SENIOR U-S AND 
PAKISTANI OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE HELD SUBSTANTIVE AND 
CONSTRUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS ON NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION AND OTHER 
ISSUES, BUT THEY SAY THE TWO COUNTRIES NEED TO CONTINUE THE 
DIALOGUE NEXT MONTH.  AYAZ GUL REPORTS FROM THE PAKISTANI 
CAPITAL.

TEXT:  DEPUTY U-S SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE TALBOTT HELD A FINAL 
UNSCHEDULED MEETING (THURSDAY) WITH PAKISTAN'S TOP DIPLOMAT 
--SHAMSHAD AHMED -- BEFORE DEPARTING FOR WASHINGTON.

THE TWO OFFICIALS SPOKE TO REPORTERS FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER TWO
DAYS OF INTENSIVE TALKS IN ISLAMABAD.

MR. TALBOTT SAID THE COMPREHENSIVE (NUCLEAR) TEST BAN TREATY -- 
CTBT -- WAS DISCUSSED, ALONG WITH OTHER ISSUES, IN WHAT HE 
DESCRIBED AS SOLID AND SERIOUS TALKS.

                        ///TALBOTT ACT///

         WE BELIEVE, ALONG WITH VIRTUALLY THE REST OF THE 
         INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, THAT IT IS IN EVERYBODY'S 
         INTEREST, INCLUDING THE INTEREST OF PAKISTAN, TO HAVE A 
         UNIVERSAL ADHERENCE TO THE C-T-B-T.  SO OF COURSE THAT 
         WAS ONE OF THE MANY ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WORKED ON HERE 
         OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS.  THESE HAVE BEEN SOLID AND
         SERIOUS TALKS.  OUR WORK IS  NOT  DONE AND AS THE 
         (PAKISTAN) FOREIGN SECRETARY SAID WE HAVE AGREED TO MEET
         AGAIN IN ABOUT A MONTH.

                         /// END ACT ///

FEARS OF A NUCLEAR ARMS RACE IN SOUTH ASIA WERE RAISED IN MAY 
FOLLOWING RIVAL NUCLEAR TESTS BY INDIA AND PAKISTAN.  SINCE THEN 
WASHINGTON HAS INTENSIFIED EFFORTS TO BRING THE TWO COUNTRIES 
UNDER THE TEST BAN TREATY TO DEFUSE NUCLEAR TENSION IN THE 
REGION.

SHAMSHAD AIMED TOLD REPORTERS PAKISTAN WILL NOT SIGN THE C-T-B-T 
AS LONG AS ITS REGIONAL SECURITY CONGRESS ARE NOT ADDRESSED.

                        /// AHMED ACT ///

         LET ME TELL YOU ONE THING -- WHAT ARE OUR NATIONAL 
         SECURITY INTERESTS?  OBVIOUSLY ONE ASPECT,  NO DURESS.  
         SECOND, I SAID THAT THERE HAS TO BE A CLEAR 
         DEMONSTRATION OF EFFECTIVE ENGAGEMENT ON THE PART OF THE
         MAJOR POWERS IN THE PROCESS OF PEACE AND SECURITY IN 
         SOUTH ASIA WHICH HAS TO FOCUS ON KASHMIR, BECAUSE AS FAR
         AS THE SITUATION OF PEACE AND SECURITY IN SOUTH ASIA IS 
         CONCERNED, IT IS ENTIRELY PREDICATED ON HOW WE PROCEED 
         IN RESPECT OF KASHMIR.

                          ///END ACT///

INDIA AND PAKISTAN HAVE FOUGHT TWO WARS OVER KASHMIR AND THE 
HIMALAYAN REGION CONTINUES TO BE A MAJOR SOURCE OF TENSION 
BETWEEN THE TWO NEIGHBORING NATIONS.

MR. TALBOTT SAID THE UNITED STATES ATTACHES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO 
THE UPCOMING MEETING BETWEEN PAKISTAN'S PRIME MINISTER, NAWAZ 
SHARIF, AND HIS INDIAN COUNTERPART, ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE, ON THE 
SIDELINES OF A REGIONAL SUMMIT IN SRI LANKA LATER THIS MONTH.

                     ///TALBOTT ACT (OPT)///

         THAT OBVIOUSLY RELATES INTIMATELY TO A NUMBER OF THE 
         SUBJECTS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE, AND WE THINK IT
         IS A VERY GOOD THING THAT THE DIRECT PAKISTAN-INDIAN 
         DIALOGUE IS TO RESUME AND WE WILL BE WATCHING AND WE 
         WILL BE SUPPORTING IN EVERY WAY WE CAN.

                          ///END ACT///

PAKISTAN IS SEEKING INTERNATIONAL INTERVENTION TO HELP RESOLVE 
THE KASHMIR ISSUE.  INDIA REJECTS OUTSIDE MEDIATION, SAYING IT 
SHOULD BE RESOLVED BILATERALLY.  NEW DELHI CONTROLS TWO-THIRDS OF
THE REGION AND PAKISTAN THE REST.(SIGNED)

NEB/AG/LTD/KL 

23-Jul-98 9:57 AM EDT (1357 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.