Zia, Gandhi, rule out attacks on N-plants

Press, 19 December 1985, Page 8

Zia, Gandhi, rule out attacks on N-plants

NZPA-Reuter New Delhi

Relations between India and Pakistan have greatly improved; both have pledged not to attack each other’s nuclear facilities and decided to resume talks on draft peace treaties. India’s Prime Minister, Mr Rajiv Gandhi, and Pakistan’s President, General Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq had what they described as their most cordial talks yet, on Tuesday, during a six-hour visit by General Zia to New Delhi.

At a joint press conference the leaders, looking relaxed and smiling frequently, announced a series of moves aimed at removing strains from relations between their countries, which have fought three wars since 1947.

“We have decided to give an undertaking not to attack each other’s nuclear facili-

ties,” General Zia announced. He also said that Pakistan would review its large weapons purchases from the United States when relations with India were normal.

Mr Gandhi, who, next year, will make the first visit to Pakistan by an Indian leader for 25 years, said that the agreement was the first step towards restoring confidence between the two countries. Asked if he and General Zia had discussed suspicions in each country that the other’s nuclear programme was aimed at developing weapons, Mr Gandhi said, “We have not agreed on the nature of our programmes (but) this was a positive step to building our confidence.” General Zia said that they were determined to defuse tension over their main military flash-point, the Siachen glacier, in Kashmir.

Hundreds of casualties have been reported on both sides in clashes on the glacier in the last year.

Pakistan controls onethird of Kashmir and India the rest. General Zia said that Kashmir’s future, the main reason for two of the wars, was not discussed. “We are starting out from areas of agreement,” he said. In other signs of a breakthrough, General Zia said that the foreign secretaries of the two countries would meet next month to resume negotiations on merging Pakistan’s proposal for a non-aggression pact and India’s proposed peace and friendship treaty. Talks in early 1986 would also include discussions on economic co-operation, General Zia said before leaving for Islamabad after the stop on his way home from Sri Lanka and the Maldives.