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UN urges India-Pakistan to sign arms control treaties

Fearing a nuclear arms race in South Asia, the United Nations Security Council deplored Pakistan's nuclear tests. The Security Council called on Pakistan and India to sign arms control treaties without delay or conditions.

It also called on both countries to refrain from further tests. Diplomatic sources expressed concern that Pakistan might carry out additional tests in the coming days. The Council had hoped to issue the statement on Thursday night. But China, which is believed to have sold nuclear technology to Pakistan, held out until Friday. Chinese diplomats said they were awaiting instructions from Beijing.

The statement, similar to one issued after India's tests two weeks ago, said the Council "deplores the underground nuclear tests of Pakistan'' and expressed concern over peace and stability in the region.

It called on the two countries to sign the 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty "without delay and without conditions.''

India refused to sign the agreements because they did not require the five major nuclear powers -- the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain to dismantle their own arsenals. Those countries are also permanent members of the Council.

Pakistan refuses to sign until India does.

The Council urged all parties ''to exercise maximum restraint and to take immediate steps to reduce and remove tensions between them.''

It also called on India and Pakistan to resume a high-level dialogue which broke down last year over Kashmir.

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