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Pak, India cross nuke swords at UN

Pakistan and India have breathed fire at each other from the rostrum of the United Nations General Assembly and set conditions for honouring pledges given a year ago to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz yesterday delivered a tirade against India's 'escalating repression' in Kashmir and accused New Delhi of planning to deploy a huge arsenal of land, air and sea-based nuclear weapons against Pakistan.

''India's pursuit of this doctrine will destabilise south Asia. Pakistan will be compelled to enhance its nuclear and missile capabilities and operational readiness to preserve deterrence,'' he said.

He called on the United Nations to convene a conference of nuclear powers to promote the goals of strategic restraint and stability in south Asia.

He said Pakistan remained committed to the CTBT 'in an atmosphere free of coercion'.

Pakistani officials said this meant there was no prospect of Islamabad signing the pledge as long as US-led sanctions triggered by the Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests remained in effect.

For his part, Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh said India would resume discussions on signing the CTBT once a new government has been elected.

But he said a successful conclusion required a positive environment and added, ''We also expect that other countries shall adhere to this treaty without any conditions.''

UNI

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