INDIA: India yesterday said it would not reciprocate Pakistan's offer to dismantle nuclear weapons, but hoped never to use them against its neighbour and rival.
"We don't accept Pakistan's proposal [to dismantle nuclear weapons made earlier this week] as Pakistan's nuclear programme is India-specific," Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee told parliament during a debate on fresh peace overtures between the two sides. "But we are concerned about other states as well", Mr Vajpayee said in a veiled reference to China.
Mr Vajpayee had cited fear of China as the principal reason for India's nuclear tests in May 1998 and for developing long-range missiles to deliver atomic weapons in an explanatory letter to the UN Security Council's permanent members.
Last month India's defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, who considers China his country's "number one enemy" said Delhi would test-fire another version of its nuclear capable ballistic missile, which had a range of over 3000km, later this year. This would bring large parts of China within striking range.
India came off worse in a border war with China in 1962 over a territorial dispute that remains unresolved. And though diplomatic and political relations between Delhi and Beijing have improved considerably over the past five years, India is wary of being "encircled" by China's expanding military links with Pakistan on the west and Burma to the east.
Mr Vajpayee told parliament that India had adopted a no-first-strike nuclear weapons policy, while Pakistan retained its right to use atomic weapons, following tit-for-tat nuclear tests the two sides conducted five years ago. Through nuclear weapons Pakistan was seeking to neutralise India's considerable conventional military superiority over it, he said.
Earlier in the week, Pakistan had offered to rid itself of its nuclear arsenal if India reciprocated. "We are seeking friendship with Pakistan, but we will be cautious," responded Mr Vajpayee.
His comments came a day before US Deputy Secretary of State Mr Richard Armitage arrives in Delhi after meeting Pakistani leaders during a regional tour aimed at encouraging peace between the nuclear rivals.