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P-5 urges India, Pak to move closer

A Balu in New York

Foreign ministers of five permanent members of the UN Security Council have urged both India and Pakistan to avoid "threatening military movements'', cross-border violations or other provocative acts.

In a repetition of their joint communique of June 4, the big five yesterday expressed their continued concern about the danger caused by the nuclear tests to peace and security in the region.

They reiterated their pledge to co-operate closely in urgent efforts to prevent a nuclear and missile arms race in the sub-continent, and to bolster the global non-proliferation regime. To this end, the foreign ministers called on the two countries to undertake serious discussions to address their bilateral issues, and to implement comprehensively and without delay all the provisions of the UN Security Council resolution of June 6. This resolution had condemned the nuclear tests and set forth a set of demands that, according to many observers, went far beyond anything the council has done before.

The Indian ambassador to the United Nations, Kamalesh Sharma, had, in a letter to the Security Council challenged the legitimacy of the council action not only in terms of the UN charter but in terms of broader international law.

Yesterday's statement was issued after the five foreign ministers of the US, Russia, Britain, France and China, had met with UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, and exchanged views with him on a host of international issues.

The ministers expressed disappointment at the lack of progress in discussions between India and Pakistan and reaffirmed their readiness to assist the two countries in a manner acceptable to both sides, in promoting reconciliation, co-operation and a peaceful resolution of their differences, including Kashmir.''

They also reaffirmed the need for universal adherence to the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. In their view, the conclusion of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty marked a qualitatively new stage in the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament process.

UNI

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