Pakistan May OK Test-Ban Treaty
UNITED NATIONS — Pakistan’s prime minister said Wednesday that his country will unilaterally adhere to the nuclear test-ban treaty--but with conditions.
Nawaz Sharif warned that compliance will depend on whether rival India resumed its tests and on whether economic sanctions are lifted. The U.S. and other nations imposed the sanctions after Pakistan conducted nuclear tests in May.
“Pakistan is . . . prepared to adhere to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty,†Sharif said at the U.N. General Assembly session.
“In this regard, we expect that the arbitrary restrictions imposed on Pakistan by multilateral institutions will be speedily removed,†Sharif said.
Sharif warned that Pakistan will comply with a ban on nuclear tests only so long as India--its rival in a territorial dispute over Kashmir--did not carry out any more tests.
The Pakistani announcement will probably increase pressure on India to sign the treaty.
Indian Premier Atal Behari Vajpayee said Wednesday that his country’s nuclear policy does not depend on Pakistan.
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