Seoul (South Korea) ,May 10
A North Korean official told visiting Japanese scholars in Pyongyang last week that a nuclear test was an ``indispensable'' step toward proving the nation's military capabilities to the world and suggested his government might conduct one soon, the Japanese head of the delegation said.

Word that North Korea is considering a nuclear test came as the government appeared to hint late on Sunday that it was willing to return, under certain conditions, to six-party negotiations aimed at its nuclear disarmament that have been stalled for 11 months. During those talks, North Korea had suggested it might conduct a test. But the statement to the Japanese delegation was the first mention by a North Korean official about a test since recent intelligence reports warning of such a possibility.

Yasuhiko Yoshida, a former UN proliferation expert who led the delegation, said in an interview that he held two discussions on May 3 with officials at the North Korean Foreign Ministry's Institute for Disarmament and Peace. Yoshida said the comment about testing came during the second discussion, in an unarranged phone call placed by the institute's deputy director, Pak Hyon Jae. According to Yoshida, Pak said a North Korean nuclear test was ``indispensable,'' adding, ``you'll find that out soon.''

``It is important that this official at a government think tank admitted that nuclear testing was necessary,'' said Yoshida, a noted North Korea specialist at the Osaka University of Economics and Law. He led a humanitarian medical mission to Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, and was interviewed by telephone after returning from the eight-day trip Monday.

US officials have said spy satellite photos indicate that North Korea could be preparing for a nuclear test at a site in the northeast of the country, although they also cautioned that the detected activity could be a ruse.

Officials of Asian nations are trying to find a way to jump-start the six-nation talks, which involve North and South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the United States. The leaders of China and South Korea — North Korea's two largest trading partners— issued a joint statement in Moscow on Monday calling on North Korea to return to the table.

— By arrangement with the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post.

Lahore, May 10
Pakistan on Monday threatened to invoke “treaty mechanism” and take the Kishenganga Hydropower Project to the World Bank for arbitration if India failed to resolve the issue to Islamabad’s satisfaction by July 15. The threat was delivered by Pakistan's Commissioner for Indus Basin Treaty, Syed Jamaat Ali Shah, during the first round of talks on the second day of dialogue between the two countries.

During the talks, the Pakistan delegation “strongly objected” to its not being provided with sufficient information on the project.

The two sides were discussing first of the six questions posed by Pakistan regarding the project modalities when the Indian side said it did not have the relevant information. That annoyed the Pakistani side which said the Indians should have come prepared on issues raised by Pakistan during the last meeting.

After failure to finalise the first item on the agenda, both sides moved to the next one. Discussion on the second item regarding design of the dam was still continuing when the stipulated time expired and the delegates rose to meet on Tuesday.

Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Mr Shah said: “Pakistan had hoped that technical problems would be sorted out within the first three months of the talks, but the Indian side did not furnish sufficient data. That is why Pakistan agreed to extend the talks and set a deadline of July 15.”

Talking about setting a timeframe for the resolution of the problem, he said Pakistan wanted India to either suspend work on the dam or agree to a specific timeframe.

He insisted that objections of Pakistan were valid and India had to adjust design accordingly. Pakistan would not “give up even a drop of water” to India that is not allowed to it under the treaty.

On the occasion, Mr D.K. Mehta, Commissioner (Indian), said “our objective” was to come to a “mutual agreement and have a common value” through dialogue.

He, for the first time, formally announced that a timeframe of July 15 had been agreed upon to resolve all issues regarding the dam project.

The commission will have at least two more meetings on the issue. One of them will be held in New Delhi this month and the next one in Pakistan for which a date will be decided later.

Dubai, May 10
India has been named as one of the seven countries sending under-aged children to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as camel jockeys, a practice that is banned there.

To avert abuses, the UAE has made it compulsory for children from these countries to carry separate passports, an Interior Ministry official after signing an agreement with UNICEF to rehabilitate child jockeys said.

Under the pact with UNICEF, repatriated children would be given aid for two years to help them recover their health and reunite with their families and societies, the Khaleej Times reported.

The seven countries identified as exporting camel jockeys besides India are Pakistan, Sudan, Bangladesh, Eritrea, Somalia and Mauritania.

The UAE has given a grace period of six months beginning March 31 when the new rule banning jockeys under the age of 16 comes into effect.

Describing media reports of 20,000 to 30,000 camel jockeys in the country as exaggerated, the official said the figure could only be about 3,000.

He said 100 child jockeys had been repatriated so far and there were 73 at the rehabilitation centre. — UNI