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Tuesday, September 22, 1998 |
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Jaswant arrives in USA for talks with Talbott WASHINGTON, Sept 21 (PTI) Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayees special emissary Jaswant Singh has arrived here to hold the fifth round of talks with US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, aimed at narrowing down differences with the USA over the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Mr Jaswant Singh, who arrived here last night, is scheduled to meet Mr Talbott tomorrow. He will also hold discussions with influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms and other officials. Today, Mr Jaswant Singh spent most of his time with Indian officials holding internal meetings. He is also scheduled to meet Senator Joseph Biden Because Biden. After discussions with Mr Talbott, Mr Jaswant Singh would leave for New York where he is expected to report to Mr Vajpayee, who will be in the city to address the UN session. His discussions are expected to focus on narrowing down differences with the CTBT and USA-imposed sanctions. Mr Jaswant Singh had earlier said in New Delhi that differences persisted over the CTBT and efforts would be made to bridge the gap. The Americans are also expected to raise the Kashmir issue and "encourage" India to pursue bilateral talks with Pakistan, while reiterating that Washington would offer mediation only if both parties requested them. |
Fernandes rules out signing CTBT NEW DELHI, Sept 21 (PTI) Defence Minister George Fernandes today ruled out India signing the CTBT in its present form, but said any final decision on the issue would be taken after the forthcoming talks between India and the USA. "Our stand is very clear. We will not sign it till all discriminatory clauses are removed," he told reporters after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security at the Prime Ministers residence and later after releasing a book. Asked whether India would sign the treaty if it was recognised as a nuclear power, he said, "We already are a nuclear power. If somebody recognises us as that it will not be an obligation." However, the Defence Minister said any final decision on the CTBT would be taken after the return of the Prime Ministers special emissary Jaswant Singh from the USA where he was holding talks with Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott. He refused to comment on his Scientific adviser's statement that India would not face any difficulty in the nuclear weapon programme by signing the CTBT as it had already generated the "desired data" from the Pokhran tests. Mr Fernandes also refused to rule out any further nuclear tests, saying "nothing is for all time to come... we have only said we will not conduct any more tests now." Earlier, releasing a book
"overcoming crisis in leadership Indian
Army", Mr Fernandes suggested the setting up of an
alternative force to be deployed for internal security so
that the Army was not used for such purposes.
WASHINGTON, Sept 21 (PTI) Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is expected to announce Islamabads willingness to sign the CTBT during his address to the UN General Assembly, even as India appeared nowhere close to pledge itself to the treaty, the Wall Street Journal reported today. Claiming that the likely announcement is influenced by crippling effect that international economic sanctions have had on Pakistans economy, the journal quoting local news reports, said the meeting between Mr Sharif and US President Bill Clinton is also expected to be dominated by the issue. "Diplomats in Islamabad say Pakistan has indicated that it is ready to pledge, largely to end the USA-led economic sanctions that have brought the country to the brink of default on its $ 32-billion foreign debt," it said. "Local news reports said that in his speech to the United Nations on Wednesday, Mr Sharif will announce Pakistans acceptance of the CTBT," it said, adding that Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Tariq Altaf, while not confirming the reports, "did not deny them (reports) outright". "We are not opposed to the CTBT, but the coercive atmosphere is weighing heavily on everyones mind here," the paper quoted Mr Altaf as saying. |
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