DATE=5/13/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-232124
TITLE=CLINTON / INDIA (L)
BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST
DATELINE=BERLIN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  


INTRO:  PRESIDENT CLINTON -- IN GERMANY FOR TALKS WITH CHANCELLOR
HELMUT KOHL -- IS PREPARING TO ANNOUNCE SWEEPING SANCTIONS 
AGAINST INDIA, BECAUSE OF ITS NUCLEAR TESTING THIS WEEK. V-O-A'S 
DAVID GOLLUST REPORTS FROM BERLIN.

TEXT:  MR. CLINTON IS UNDERSTOOD TO HAVE MADE THE SANCTIONS 
DECISION AFTER INDIA SPURNED A U-S DEMAND IT PLEDGE NOT TO 
CONDUCT FURTHER TESTING OR DEPLOY NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

THE PRESIDENT HAD LITTLE LEEWAY -- IN ANY CASE -- UNDER THE TOUGH
ANTI-PROLIFERATION LAW PASSED BY CONGRESS IN 1994.  IT MANDATES A
CUT-OFF OF U-S AID AND LOANS TO VIOLATING GOVERNMENTS, AND WOULD 
FORBID EXPORTS OF ADVANCED COMPUTERS AND OTHER HIGH-TECHNOLOGY 
U-S EQUIPMENT WITH MILITARY APPLICATIONS.

SIGNIFICANTLY FOR INDIA, THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD ALSO BE 
REQUIRED TO OPPOSE LOANS TO NEW DELHI BY THE WORLD BANK AND OTHER
INTERNATIONAL LENDING BODIES.

THE PRESIDENT HAS CALLED INDIA'S ACTION DEEPLY DISTURBING AND 
URGED ITS NEIGHBORS NOT TO MATCH THE TESTING AND FOLLOW ALONG THE
PATH OF A DANGEROUS ARMS RACE.

MR. CLINTON FOLLOWED THAT UP WITH A PHONE CALL TO PAKISTANI PRIME
MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF FROM GERMANY WEDNESDAY, URGING HIM IN THE 
WORDS OF A SENIOR WHICH HOUSE AIDE, TO -- FOLLOW A DIFFERENT 
ROAD.

U-S OFFICIALS BELIEVE PAKISTAN, WHICH RECENTLY TESTED A 
MEDIUM-RANGE MISSILE, HAS THE CAPABILITY OF QUICKLY ASSEMBLING 
AND TESTING A NUCLEAR DEVICE OF ITS OWN.

INDIAN PRIME MINISTER ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE SENT A MESSAGE TO 
PRESIDENT CLINTON AND OTHER WORLD LEADERS TUESDAY EXPLAINING HIS 
COUNTRY'S RATIONALE FOR THE TESTS AND URGING THEM NOT TO RUSH TO 
JUDGMENT ON SANCTIONS.

PRESIDENT CLINTON EARLIER RECALLED THE U-S AMBASSADOR TO INDIA --
RICHARD CELESTE -- FOR CONSULTATIONS AND PLANS FOR MR. CLINTON TO
VISIT INDIA LATER THIS YEAR ARE UNDER REVIEW.

THE UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS CARRIED OUT AT A TEST SITE IN WESTERN 
INDIA -- NEAR PAKISTAN -- CAME AS AN UNWELCOME SURPRISE TO U-S 
OFFICIALS WHO HAD BEEN URGING RESTRAINT ON THE PART OF INDIA'S 
HINDU-NATIONALIST GOVERNMENT.

INDIA  LAST YEAR REFUSED TO SIGN THE COMPREHENSIVE NUCLEAR TEST 
BAN TREATY -- A MAJOR FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITY OF MR. CLINTON -- 
CITING THE REFUSAL OF THE NUCLEAR POWERS, THE UNITED STATES, 
RUSSIA, CHINA, FRANCE, AND BRITAIN TO FOLLOW A DISARMAMENT 
TIMETABLE.

PRESIDENT CLINTON DISCUSSED THE INDIAN TEST IN A PHONE 
CONVERSATION WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN TUESDAY.  IT 
WILL ALSO FIGURE IN HIS TALKS WITH CHANCELLOR KOHL AND AT THE 
SUMMIT OF THE SEVEN WESTERN INDUSTRIAL POWERS AND RUSSIA, OPENING
LATER THIS WEEK IN BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.   (SIGNED)

NEB/DAG/RAE 

13-May-98 7:21 AM EDT (1121 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.