DATE=11/12/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-241595
TITLE=TALBOTT/SOUTH ASIA (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON D.C. 
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO: A TOP U-S DIPLOMAT SAYS THERE HAS BEEN PROGRESS ON 
REDUCING TENSIONS BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN OVER THE PAST SIX 
MONTHS.  AS VOA'S JIM TEEPLE REPORTS, THE OFFICIAL SAYS WHILE 
THERE HAS BEEN PROGRESS, BOTH INDIA AND PAKISTAN NEED TO DO MORE.

TEXT:  U-S DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE TALBOTT SAYS HE HAS 
HELD MORE THAN A DOZEN SEPARATE ROUNDS OF TALKS WITH SENIOR 
OFFICIALS OF PAKISTAN AND INDIA SINCE BOTH COUNTRIES TESTED 
NUCLEAR DEVICES IN MAY.  

SPEAKING AT THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION, A PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH 
INSTITUTE IN WASHINGTON, MR. TALBOTT SAYS HIS SIX MONTHS OF 
DIPLOMACY HAVE HAD THREE GOALS; TO PREVENT AN ESCALATION OF 
NUCLEAR COMPETITION IN THE REGION, TO STRENGTHEN GLOBAL NUCLEAR 
NON-PROLIFERATION AND TO PROMOTE A DIALOGUE BETWEEN INDIA AND 
PAKISTAN.  

MR. TALBOTT SAYS HE HAS SEEN PROGRESS OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS. 
BOTH INDIA AND PAKISTAN, HE SAYS, HAVE SO FAR AGREED TO A 
MORATORIUM ON FURTHER TESTING AND BOTH COUNTRIES HAVE TAKEN STEPS
TOWARDS HALTING THE PRODUCTION OF FISSILE, OR WEAPONS GRADE 
MATERIAL.  THE SENIOR U-S DIPLOMAT SAYS IT IS ALSO ENCOURAGING 
THAT INDIA AND PAKISTAN HAVE RESUMED HIGH-LEVEL TALKS. 

                        // TALBOTT ACT //

         THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT KASHMIR;  THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT 
         CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES, ABOUT BETTER 
         COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN CIVILIAN AND MILITARY EXPERTS, 
         ABOUT BUS LINES ACROSS THE BORDER, ABOUT TRADING IN 
         ENERGY. 

                          // END ACT //

ALSO ENCOURAGING SAYS MR. TALBOTT ARE SIGNS THAT BOTH COUNTRIES 
SEEM TO BE IN AGREEMENT ON ADHERING TO MOST OF THE STANDARDS SET 
OUT IN THE COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY KNOWN AS THE C-T-B-T.  

THE STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL SAYS WHILE THERE HAS BEEN PROGRESS 
IN THAT DIRECTION THERE HAS BEEN LESS PROGRESS IN GETTING ANY 
COMMITMENT FROM PAKISTAN OR INDIA TO AGREE TO SIGN THE NUCLEAR 
NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY, THE N-P-T.  HE SAYS BOTH COUNTRIES 
SHOULD UNDERSTAND GLOBAL RESOLVE ON THAT ISSUE. 

                     //  2ND TALBOTT ACT //

         WE DO NOT, AND WILL NOT, CONCEDE, EVEN BY IMPLICATION, 
         THAT INDIA AND PAKISTAN HAVE ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES AS 
         NUCLEAR WEAPONS STATES UNDER THE N-P-T.  UNLESS AND 
         UNTIL THEY DISAVOW NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND ACCEPT SAFEGUARDS
         ON ALL THEIR NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO 
         FORFEIT THE FULL RECOGNITION AND BENEFITS THAT ACCRUE TO
         MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING OF THE N-P-T.

                         //  END ACT //

MR. TALBOTT SAYS BOTH COUNTRIES CAN AND SHOULD DO MORE TO EASE 
TENSIONS IN THE REGION -- ALSO  NOTING THAT INDIA AND CHINA 
SHOULD BEGIN AN IMMEDIATE DIALOGUE ABOUT THEIR LONG TERM SECURITY
INTERESTS. 

                         ///REST OPT/// 

THE OFFICIAL SAYS THE UNITED STATES AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES 
RECOGNIZE THAT INDIA AND PAKISTAN HAVE LEGITIMATE SECURITY 
INTERESTS.   BUT TOO OFTEN, HE SAYS, THOSE SECURITY INTERESTS ARE
OVERSHADOWED BY ANIMOSITY AND DISTRUST. 

                        // TALBOTT ACT //

         NO AMOUNT OF DIPLOMATIC EXERTION ON OUR PART ON 
         NON-PROLIFERATION OR ANY OTHER SUBJECT, WILL HAVE MUCH 
         EFFECT UNLESS AND UNTIL INDIA AND PAKISTAN CAN LIBERATE 
         THEMSELVES FROM THEIR OWN ENMITY.  

                         //  END ACT //

STROBE TALBOTT SAYS THE UNITED STATES AND ITS ALLIES ARE 
COMMITTED TO AT LEAST EASING IF NOT ENDING THAT ENMITY.  HE ADDED
THAT IN EVERY DISCUSSION HE HAS WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON, NO MATTER
WHAT THE TOPIC IS, MR. CLINTON ALWAYS ASKS HOW DISCUSSIONS WITH 
INDIA AND PAKISTAN ARE PROCEEDING.  (SIGNED) 

NEB/JLT/WFR 



12-Nov-98 5:44 PM EST (2244 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.