DATE=9/24/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-239195
TITLE=INDIA / U-N / NUCLEAR (L)
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  INDIA SAYS IT HOPES TO SIGN THE NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY 
WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR -- MEETING A SIMILAR PLEDGE MADE BY PAKISTAN
WEDNESDAY.  CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON REPORTS INDIA'S PRIME 
MINISTER MADE THE PLEDGE (THURSDAY) IN A SPEECH TO THE UNITED 
NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

TEXT:  INDIAN PRIME MINISTER ATAL BEHARI VAJPAYEE TOLD THE 
GENERAL ASSEMBLY HIS COUNTRY HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO CARRY OUT 
NUCLEAR TESTS EARLIER THIS YEAR.  HE SAID THE TESTS, CARRIED OUT 
IN MAY, WERE ESSENTIAL FOR ENSURING A CREDIBLE NUCLEAR DETERRENT 
FOR INDIA'S NATIONAL SECURITY.

HE SAID INDIA IS NOW READY TO ENTER NEGOTIATIONS ON SIGNING THE 
NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY, WHICH PROHIBITS NUCLEAR TESTS AND 
EXPLOSIONS.

                /// VAJPAYEE  ACT--TRANSLATOR ///

         WE ARE PREPARED TO BRING THESE DISCUSSIONS TO A 
         SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION, SO THAT THE ENTRY INTO FORCE OF 
         THE C-T-B-T IS NOT DELAYED BEYOND SEPTEMBER 1999.  WE 
         EXPECT THAT OTHER COUNTRIES, AS INDICATED IN ARTICLE 14 
         OF THE C-T-B-T, WILL ADHERE TO THIS TREATY WITHOUT 
         CONDITIONS.

                         /// END ACT ///

TUESDAY, PAKISTAN MADE A SIMILAR PLEDGE.

U-N SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN WELCOMED THE TWO PLEDGES AS A 
STEP TOWARDS SUCCESSFULLY BANNING NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS.  MR. ANNAN 
HAD DESCRIBED THE NUCLEAR RIVALRY BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES AS 
ONE OF THE MOST WORRISOME DEVELOPMENTS OF OUR TIME.

FORTY-FOUR STATES WITH NUCLEAR POWER CAPABILITY MUST RATIFY THE 
TREATY FOR IT TO GO INTO FORCE.  TO DATE, 41 HAVE SIGNED THE 
TREATY, BUT ONLY 10 HAVE RATIFIED IT.  SIGNATURES FROM PAKISTAN 
AND INDIA WOULD BRING THE NUMBER OF SIGNATORIES TO 43.  NORTH 
KOREA HAS NOT SIGNED IT.  COUNTRIES THAT HAVE NOT YET RATIFIED 
THE TREATY INCLUDE THE UNITED STATES, CHINA, ISRAEL, IRAN AND 
UKRAINE.   (SIGNED)

NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/RAE

24-Sep-98 8:04 PM EDT (0004 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.