NEW DELHI: United States under-secretary of state for international security affairs Reginald Bartholomew arrived here “Thursday from Islamabad for a two-day visit aimed at persuading India to agree to some kind of a regional arrangement on nuclear non-proliferation.

A Pakistani proposal for a five- nation conference, including the U.S. the Soviet Union, China and India, to resolve the nuclear issue is expected to figure prominently during Bartholomew’s discussions with enteral affairs minister Madhavsinh Solanki, de fence minister Shara Pawar and foreign secretary Muchkund Dubey.

An external affairs ministry spokesman said Wednesday that India had an open mind on the issue. India, however, considers Pakistani proposal as a propaganda ploy as it seeks to project South Asia as a nuclear Weapons-freeze zone in an arbitrary manner.

The Indian position takes into account deployment of nuclear weapons in the vicinity of its border (China).

India is, however, coming under increasing pressure on the nuclear issue with Soviet Union for the first time supporting Pakistan’s proposal for a nuclear-weapons fee zone in South Asia in the United Nations general assembly.

Another significant development is Chinas readiness to sign the nuclear nonproliferation treaty.

An external affairs ministry spokesman said here Wednesday that Bartholomew’s visit was the context of expanding bilateral a ties with the U.S.

In recent times, there had been number of such visits exchanged at various levels, civil and mil tray the spokesman said.

ISLAMABAD: The United States has called upon Pakistan and India to bilaterally settle Kashmir issue.

It is an issue that need to be settled between the two Paris”, U.S. under sectary for international security Reginald Bartholomew told Islamabad.

Bartholomew, who had two days of talks with Pakistani leaders and officials here, said the U.S, had urged both countries to resolve the issue peacefully through negotiations, moving awa from a position of conflict.

Bartholomew was told by Pakistan that it would continue to extend full moral and political support for the “Kashmiri cause” and there would be no letup in its support for the Kashmiri militants.

Briefing newsmen on visit of the U.S. official, Pak foreign secretary Shaharyar M. Khan sid Pakistan reiterated its position of calling for plebiscite in the valley.

Asked whether Washington had expressed concern over Pakistan aiding and abetting militants in Kashmir and was contemplating on declaring Pakistan a “terrorist state”, Khan said “I heard no warning, from the U.S.”

The Kashmir issue was raised by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also when Bartholomew called on him Wednesday.

Sharif claimed that the Indian refusal to resolve the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiris was the main obstacle in the way of normalization of ties been the two countries.

Article extracted from this publication >> November 29, 1991