Washington: INDIA has all but ejected the proposal mooted by the United States for a five-nation conference to discuss the idea of a nuclear-free zone in South Asia.

The stalemate on the issue, however, does not preclude a Continuing dialogue between New Delhi and Washington on the broader question of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

“The Foreign Secretary, Mr Mani Dixit, conveyed the Indian stand to the acting U.S. Secretary of, State, Mr Lawrence Eagleburger and other senior officials of the State Department, on Monday.

Mr Dixit told Indian correspondents that he had also made it clear to the US officials that India would not sign the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) because was discriminatory. The Indian stand in this regard had been “consistent.” With the increasing number of fragmented nuclear states (former Soviet republics) the relevance of NPT became even less, he said,

Mr Dixit recalled that the Prime Minister, Mr. P.V.Narasimha Rao, had told President Bush during their meeting in New York that India could not discuss the five nation conference in a vacuum, but was willing to have a dialogue on the question of non-proliferation to which “India has always been committed.”

The foreign secretary said he had reiterated this position to USS officials and invited the suggestions which we are ready to discuss with them.”

“We cannot participate in the five nation conference because we do not know what tis expected to achieve.” Mr Dixit said India would like to know what were the terms of reference, what were the issues, and what was the region the proposed conference would cover and what were the five countries together supposed guarantee.

Instead of the former Soviet Union, Mr Dixit noted, there were now four strategic nuclear power states. Which one was going to guarantee and what were they going to guarantee? These were the things India would like to know and discuss, and if those discussions moved satisfactorily, “then we will see,” the foreign secretary said.

“According to Mr Dixit, the discussions at the state department were “candid” and held in a endly tone”, and ended on a “positive” note. There was “no wishing away” of differences of opinion on fundamental issues.

Mr Dixit was not forth coming on the details of the talks on the nuclear issue which was the main item on the agenda, “We have an agenda on non-proliferation, but I will not aciculate on that for political reasons because it is a very sensitive issue,” he said,

After Ran-Bush meeting in New York, correspondents who were briefed by Indian officials were given to understand that the prime minister did not reject the proposal for a five-nation conference involving the United States, Russia, India, Pakistan and China, but sought more bilateral discussion with the United States, Mr Dixit appeared to give the impression last night that the proposal was unacceptable to India.

Apart from India nuclear issue, Monday’s talks covered a wide range of subjects, including the foreign policies of the two counties, the role of the United Nations a Indo-Pakistan relations, Kashmir, developments in East Europe Yugoslavia and Indo-US Relations.

Mr Dixit also held talks with Mr Ronald Kante, Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs, and Mr Ronald Lehman, Director, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. The Indian ambassador, Mr Abid Hussain, also attended the talks.

Article extracted from this publication >> March 20, 1992