Blow to Pak: P-5 denies J&K a global plank

Asking India and Pakistan to adhere "immediately and unconditionally" to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Ministers urged both countries to avoid threatening military movements, cross-border violations or other provocative acts.

The P-5 meet, billed as an international bid to reduce tensions between India and Pakistan, began late this evening here with China firing the first salvo against India.

Addressingthe opening session of the Ministerial conference, which the public was invited to attend, Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jianxuan, who is also the chairman of the talks, pointed an accusing finger at New Delhi as being principally responsible for the "mounting tension" in the South Asian region.

"In May this year, India, in defiance of world opinion went ahead with its nuclear tests. After peace and stability in the South Asian region had been undermined, Pakistan also carried out nuclear tests. Tension in this region is mounting," the Chinese Foreign Minister said.

He said the purpose of this meeting was to "channel our joint efforts to arrest a nuclear arms race in South Asia. I am sure this meeting will succeed."

The Ministers had for approval a four-page text hammered out in 12 hours of talks by experts from the United States, France, Russia, Britain and China, all permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. Sources said the communique was a watered-down version of the first draftwhich was strongly critical of India and made several references to the Kashmir dispute.

The Kashmir question, which Pakistan insists, is central to lowering tensions in the region, has washed up in Geneva and figured prominently in and around disarmament meetings as well as during preparations for this evening’s talks. China, say diplomats, stands to gain most from this diplomatic waltz constructed around nuclear tests by India and Pakistan.On his way to Geneva this evening, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook told reporters: "There are two clear objectives. The first is to stop the testing and the second is to get the two to start talking."

The problem required long-term treatment, the British diplomat said. "If we are going to get stability in the sub-continent it is so important that we tackle the sources of tension," Cook said.

The general impression seems to be that the P-5 are using the occasion to repeat to each other and reassure their allies that all is well and as before. Today’s meeting isto be followed up with another on June 12 in London where the P-5 circle will be expanded to include Japan, Germany and Italy (G-8) for a "free flowing discussion" of the Indo-Pakistani dispute.

Over the past few days, fanned by Pakistani statements that India is preparing an attack on their nuclear sites, a view seems to have stuck that two countries are preparing to go to war. Repeated assurances by India that it is not at war with anyone have not been given much credit by the P-5.

Diplomats say there are differences between the P-5, shaped at least, in part, by their long-standing relationships with both India and Pakistan. Russia’s Primakov said this week sanctions will backfire. France suggested offering India and Pakistan some form of enhancement of their international status, a suggestion that has been rejected by Washington.

On the sidelines of the main talks, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi flew into Geneva on Thursday after talks in New Delhi and Islamabad and told the UN-sponsoredConference on Disarmament: "The nuclear sword of Damocles is now hanging over the region by a slender thread."

Other terms of the Geneva Communique