UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24, Reuter: Prime Minister Mohammad Khan Junejo of Pakistan proposed on Thursday that a UN. Sponsored conference on nuclear nonproliferation in South Asia be convened as soon as possible.

Addressing the General Assembly, he referred to concern about nuclear proliferation in the region, “where one country has already demonstrated a nuclear capability”,

He was referring to India, which conducted what it called a peaceful nuclear explosion in 1974.

“Pakistan does not have that Capability, nor does it have the desire to develop nuclear weapons. Pakistan does not wish to conduct a nuclear explosion”, Junejo added.

He said Pakistan was prepared to subscribe to a comprehensive test ban on a global, regional or bilateral basis.

Junejo said he was looking forward to a positive response from Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to a proposal Junejo made to him in June for a bilateral nuclear test ban treaty.

The Prime Minister said a regional approach offered the most promising avenue to prevent a nuclear arms race in South Asia Avnd called for a serious diplomatic effort to explore the possibilities of an agreement.

“For this purpose, I propose that, under the auspices of the United Nations, a conference on nuclear nonproliferation in South ‘Asia should be convened, as soon as possible, with the participation of the regional and other interested parties”

Junejo, whose assembly appearance had been postponed from Tuesday because he had had a sore throat and high temperature, made  direct appeal to General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to agree to the early withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan, which they entered in December, 1979.

He said he was deeply disappointed with the most recent round of U.N, sponsored indirect talks in Geneva earlier this month between Pakistani and Afghan representatives.

“Kabul’s representatives continued to insist on an unreasonable and lengthy period for foreign troops withdrawals. Consequently, the talks proved inconclusive”, he said.

Reports at the time said Afghanistan offered a 16month pullout period after completion of an agreement, while Pakistan proposed seven months.

Junejo said he concluded that ‘Afghanistan had called for the recent round of talks, not to reach a settlement but to influence the General Assembly which had been “deluged with false propaganda.

Article extracted from this publication >>  October 2, 1987