DATE=8/2/98 
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT 
NUMBER=2-236395
TITLE=INDIA / PAK / FIRING (L-O)
BYLINE=ANJANA PASRICHA
DATELINE=NEW DELHI 
CONTENT= 
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  INDIA AND PAKISTAN TRADED ARTILLERY FIRE ACROSS THE 
DISPUTED KASHMIR BORDER FOR THE FOURTH STRAIGHT DAY, SUNDAY.  
ANJANA PASRICHA REPORTS FROM OUR NEW DELHI BUREAU, HUNDREDS OF 
CIVILIANS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE FLED FROM VILLAGES CLOSE TO THE 
BORDER.  INDIAN AUTHORITIES SAY 29 PEOPLE, MOSTLY CIVILIANS HAVE 
BEEN KILLED IN THE FIGHTING. 

TEXT:  THE EXCHANGE OF MORTARS AND ARTILLERY FIRE ACROSS THE 
INDIAN AND PAKISTANI BORDER CONTINUED SUNDAY.  ACCORDING TO PRESS
TRUST OF INDIA, INDIAN OFFICIALS ACCUSED PAKISTANI TROOPS OF 
TARGETING SEVEN INDIAN BORDER POSTS IN JAMMU'S SAMBA AND POONCH 
SECTOR.  THE OFFICIALS SAY, INDIAN TROOPS RETALIATED. 

INDIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE RUSHED AMBULANCES, BLANKETS AND RATIONS 
TO HUNDREDS OF VILLAGERS WHO HAVE TAKEN SHELTER IN TEMPORARY 
CAMPS.

BOTH SIDES ACCUSE EACH OTHER OF TRIGGERING THE FIRING THAT BEGAN 
THURSDAY.  EXCHANGES OF MORTAR AND GUNFIRE ARE A FREQUENT 
OCCURRENCE BETWEEN PAKSITANI AND INDIAN TROOPS -- BUT THE LATEST 
FIRING IS SOME OF THE HEAVIEST IN RECENT YEARS. 

INDIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE DENIED, AS FALSE AND BASELESS, REPORTS 
INDIAN WARPLANES HAD BRIEFLY FLOWN INTO PAKSITANI AIRSPACE 
SATURDAY. 

THE FIRING BETWEEN THE TWO ARMIES ERUPTED AS EFFORTS TO RESUME 
PEACE TALKS BY DIPLOMATS OF THE TWO COUNTRIES FAILED IN SRI 
LANKA, WHERE THEY MET ON THEY SIDELINES OF A REGIONAL SUMMIT.  
BOTH SIDES ARE ACCUSING EACH OTHER OF ESCALATING TENSIONS IN THE 
REGION.

// OPT //  MEANWHILE, DIPLOMATS ARE EXPRESSING CONCERN THE RECENT
NUCLEAR TESTS HAVE RAISED THE STAKES IN THE HOSTILITIES BETWEEN 
THE TWO COUNTRIES.  IN SATURDAY'S "INDIAN EXPRESS" NEWSPAPER, U-S
AMBASSADOR, RICHARD CELESTE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING INDIA AND 
PAKISTAN ARE CLOSER TO WAR THAN THE SOVIET UNION AND THE U-S EVER
WERE DURING THE COLD WAR.  // END OPT //

THE HOSTILITIES BETWEEN NEW DELHI AND ISLAMABAD STEM FROM THEIR 
DISPUTE OVER KASHMIR -- THE HIMALAYAN, MUSLIM-MAJORITY REGION 
THAT IS DIVIDED ALONG A CEASEFIRE LINE BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.
INDIA CONTROLS TWO-THIRDS OF KASHMIR, PAKISTAN THE REST.  BUT 
BOTH COUNTRIES CLAIM THE ENTIRE TERRITORY AND HAVE FOUGHT TWO 
WARS OVER THE REGION.   (SIGNED)

NEB/RAE

02-Aug-98 8:07 AM EDT (1207 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.