DATE=7/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235775
TITLE=PAK / U-S / NUCLEAR (L)
BYLINE=AYAZ GUL
DATELINE=ISLAMABAD
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  DEPUTY U-S SECRETARY OF STATE STROBE TALBOTT HAS ARRIVED 
IN ISLAMABAD FROM INDIA, TO DISCUSS NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION 
ISSUES WITH PAKISTANI LEADERS.  MR. TALBOTT'S VISIT IS PART OF 
WASHINGTON'S EFFORTS TO DEFUSE TENSION IN SOUTH ASIA FOLLOWING 
THE TIT-FOR-TAT NUCLEAR TESTS INDIA AND PAKISTAN STAGED TWO 
MONTHS AGO.  AYAZ GUL REPORTS FROM THE PAKISTANI CAPITAL.

TEXT:  MR. TALBOTT FLEW INTO ISLAMABAD FROM NEW DELHI TUESDAY  
FOR A THIRD ROUND OF TALKS WITH PAKISTANI OFFICIALS.  HE IS 
BEGINNING OFFICIAL TALKS (AT 1200 UTC) WITH PAKISTAN'S CHIEF 
DIPLOMAT, SHAMSHAD AHMED.  THE TWO MET IN WASHINGTON EARLIER THIS
MONTH.

MR. TALBOTT ALSO WILL MEET PAKISTAN'S PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF
AND FOREIGN MINISTER GOHAR AYUB KHAN ON WEDNESDAY.

SINCE THE TWO NATIONS CONDUCTED NUCLEAR TESTS IN MAY, THE UNITED 
STATES HAS BEEN TRYING TO PERSUADE PAKISTAN AND INDIA TO SIGN THE
INTERNATIONAL TEST BAN TREATY, THE C-T-B-T, UNCONDITIONALLY.  THE
RIVAL TESTS HAVE RAISED FEARS OF A NUCLEAR ARMS RACE IN SOUTH 
ASIA.

THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER NATIONS SLAPPED ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ON
BOTH INDIA AND PAKISTAN AFTER THE NUCLEAR BLASTS, IN AN ATTEMPT 
TO PERSUADE THE TWO COUNTRIES TO COMMIT TO THE TEST BAN TREATY.

EXPERTS SAY THE SANCTIONS HAVE HAD A DAMAGING IMPACT ON 
PAKISTAN'S ALREADY TROUBLED ECONOMY.  THE COUNTRY'S FINANCE 
MINISTER HAS WARNED PAKISTAN COULD FACE A MAJOR FINANCIAL CRISIS 
IF THE SANCTIONS GO BEYOND THREE MONTHS.

PAKISTAN HAS SAID MR. TALBOTT'S VISIT WILL BRING THE TWO 
COUNTRIES CLOSER TO THE LIFTING OF U-S ECONOMIC SANCTIONS.

THE U-S ENVOY REPORTEDLY IS CARRYING A PERSONAL MESSAGE TO THE 
PRIME MINISTER FROM PRESIDENT CLINTON, REINFORCING 
NON-PROLIFERATION DEMANDS BY THE WORLD'S FIVE NUCLEAR POWERS AND 
THE GROUP OF EIGHT LEADING INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS.

PAKISTAN SAYS THE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AND THEIR IMPACT, PAKISTAN'S
SECURITY CONCERNS AND THE C-T-B-T ALL WILL BE ON THE TABLE DURING
THE TALKS.

OBSERVERS BELIEVE THE UNITED STATES WILL BE PRESSING PAKISTAN TO 
SIGN THE TEST-BAN TREATY IN EXCHANGE FOR A WAIVER OF ECONOMIC 
SANCTIONS.

A FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SAYS ISLAMABAD WILL NOT SIGN THE 
C-T-B-T IF IT COMPROMISES THE COUNTRY'S SECURITY.

                      /// SPOKESMAN ACT ///

         WE WILL  NOT  BE PAINTED INTO A CORNER.  WE WILL RETAIN 
         OUR OPTIONS BUT IT IS NOT A RIGID POSITION.  THERE ARE  
         NO  INFLEXIBILITIES.  WE HAVE AN OPEN MIND AND THAT IS 
         HOW WE WILL ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS IN THIS CONTINUED 
         PROCESS WITH THE U-S AND (DEPUTY) SECRETARY (OF STATE) 
         TALBOTT.

                         /// END ACT ///

PAKISTAN HAS LONG MAINTAINED IT WILL SIGN THE C-T-B-T IF INDIA 
DOES SO.  BUT, AFTER THE NUCLEAR TESTS, ISLAMABAD SAID PAKISTAN 
WILL RETAIN ITS OPTIONS EVEN IF NEW DELHI SIGNS THE TEST-BAN 
TREATY.

                        /// REST OPT ///

PAKISTAN IS ALSO SEEKING U-S HELP IN ENGAGING INDIA IN WHAT IT 
CALLS A MEANINGFUL AND PURPOSEFUL DIALOGUE ON DISPUTED REGION OF 
KASHMIR.

THE TWO COUNTRIES HAVE FOUGHT TWO WARS OVER THE REGION SINCE 
GAINING INDEPENDENCE FROM BRITAIN IN 1947, AND THEIR SHARED 
BORDER REMAINS TENSE BECAUSE OF THE DISPUTE.   INDIA CONTROLS 
TWO-THIRDS OF KASHMIR AND PAKISTAN HOLDS THE REST.   (SIGNED)

NEB/AG/CB-T/WTW

21-Jul-98 5:41 AM EDT (0941 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.