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Pakistan: Nuclear Arsenal is “India-Specific,” Foreign Minister Says By Mike Nartker “No other country in the world need feel threatened,” Kasuri said during a press conference held at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington. Tensions between the South Asian rivals have escalated in recent weeks, with exchanges of heated rhetoric over recent Indian ballistic missile tests (see GSN, Jan. 9) and India’s decision to lease Russian strategic bombers and nuclear submarines (see GSN, Jan. 23). Pakistan’s fears of India are “not imaginary,” Kasuri said, noting that the two countries have gone to war three times since 1947 and that India’s armed forces dwarf those of Pakistan. Earlier this month, Pakistan sought to bolster its own strategic forces by beginning to deploy the 1,500-kilometer range Ghauri nuclear-capable ballistic missile (see GSN, Jan. 9). The most recent source of contention between India and Pakistan has been a set of planned U.S.-Indian air combat exercises, scheduled to occur by early 2004. Pakistani officials were reportedly concerned that the exercises would help improve India’s ability to defend against Pakistani aircraft-delivered nuclear weapons. However, Pakistani fears were allayed after the United States offered similar exercises with the Pakistani Air Force and Navy yesterday, Kasuri said after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell earlier in the day. The international community should play a role in helping to reduce tensions between Pakistan and India, he added. “The United States wishes to play a helpful role in the area and will be doing everything we can to continue to reduce tensions in the region, and hopefully reach a point where dialogue can begin between Indian and Pakistan and all the various issues that exist between the two nations,” Powell said in remarks following the meeting. While refusing to name any specific proposals, Powell indicated that economic activities or reduced fighting in the disputed Kashmir region could help “jump-start” a dialogue. “We remain committed to a strong U.S.-Pakistan relationship and a strong U.S.-Indian relationship,” Powell said. “It’s not a zero-sum game. We can have good friendships with both nations.” Proliferation Concerns During his visit, Kasuri also met with top congressional leaders and several senior Bush administration officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Pakistan’s alleged aid to North Korea’s nuclear program was also on the table. Kasuri pledged Pakistan would not proliferate nuclear assistance to North Korea or any other country (see GSN, Jan. 21). Kasuri also denied reports that Pakistani scientists have informally aided other countries or terrorist groups in obtaining nuclear weapons. The father of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program, A.Q. Khan, has reportedly made a number of secret trips to North Korea (see GSN, Nov. 25, 2002). U.S. and Pakistani authorities have also investigated Pakistani nuclear scientist Sultan Bashiru-din Mehmood, who was allegedly approached by al-Qaeda to aid their efforts to develop a nuclear weapon (see GSN, Dec. 31, 2002). “We keep a close eye on our scientists,” Kasuri said. “People in our country are not floating around available to the highest bidder.” For further information, see: Carnegie Endowment Nuclear Status Map Carnegie Endowment World Missile Chart
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