BONN (PTI): India’s stand that there should be total nuclear disarmament before it signs the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) amounts to putting up a pre-condition which cannot be met immediately, say senior German government officials here.

Total nuclear disarmament cannot be achieved overnight, they say, adding India should sign the treaty for maintenance of global peace and stability.

A long journey starts with a first step and we want India to take the first step by signing the treaty,” says an official in the federal chancellery.

The best way to control armaments is to adhere to NPT,” says Burbach, an official in the foreign office.

After South Africa, China and France have joined the NPT, India has hardly any reason for not signing the treaty, says he.

India’s stand on NPT is not an irritant in the Indo-German relations, says Dr.Edith Nichuis, a social democratic party MP, but she okays the U.S. stand that India should sign the treaty.

Officials say Germany wants India to join the five-nation conference on a nuclear-free south Asia proposed by Pakistan.

On Kashmir, Germany wants India and Pakistan to resolve the problem within the framework of Shimla agreement.

“Solution must be found through peaceful bilateral negotiations and within the ambit of Shimla accord,” says Burbach. Kashmir is one of the biggest problems facing the world. It has the potential of exploding into an armed conflict between India and Pakistan,” he warns.

Parrying questions on Pakistan’s insistence on U.N. resolution on Kashmir, officials say in case of hostilities between the two countries, it will be difficult to keep the UN out of it. “So we emphasize both countries should make concerted efforts towards resolution of the problem.”

On economic ties, officials say despite being plagued by internal problems arising out of German reunification, Bonn will maintain the current level of economic cooperation with New Delhi.

However, the focus of German aid will shift from traditional sectors industry, energy and steel ~ to social areas like education, health, rural water supply and environment.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 16, 1992