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P-5 gets down to defusing tension in the subcontinent

The world's five original nuclear weapons powers today put into high gear their campaign against a South Asian arms race threatened by Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests.

A diplomat said China, Britain, France, Russia and the United States planned to use their emergency meeting in Geneva "to find a formula for defusing the tension'' between the two countries.

"They see their role as one facilitating a reduction of tension in the subcontinent and to persuade India and Pakistan to sign up to the global regime against nuclear proliferation,'' the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan, who is chairing the meeting, has ruled out joint sanctions against India and Pakistan, but experts from the five countries were putting together a common position.

Tang will try to stop the arms race between China's neighbours, fearing it could encourage still more countries to obtain nuclear weapons, Chinese officials said in Beijing.

"We should urge them with one voice and make them realise it's not in their interest,'' Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao in Beijing said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, in Geneva fresh from visits to India and Pakistan, told disarmament negotiators from 61 countries today that the "lack of serious intention'' by the five powers was a contributing factor to the arms race.

"The nuclear sword of Damocles is now hanging over the region by a slender thread,'' Kharrazi told the Conference on Disarmament.

The South Asian arms race is "a uniquely dangerous situation,'' said Albright. "These two countries are cheek-by-jowl.''

In Washington, a top official said Albright would stop short of calling for joint sanctions on Pakistan and India as that could be counterproductive.

UNI

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