Japan Urges Pakistan To Sign Ctbt, Better Ties With India

Japan yesterday urged Pakistan to sign the comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT) and continue its recently initiated dialogue process with india to make the region a nuclear free zone.

Japanese foreign minister, Yukihiko Ikeda, who arrived here last evening on a two-day visit, urged his Pakistani counterpart, Gohar Ayub Khan, that Pakistan should take a voluntary step even before India to sign the CTBT.

During a 90-minute meeting between the two foreign ministers, Ikeda said that Pakistan has nothing to worry because the treaty will not come into effect without India signing it and hence why not Pakistan take the lead?, according to a spokesman of the Japanese foreign minister.

 

Ikeda also met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during which the CTBT along with other important matters like the United Nations reforms and Saarc were discussed, the official said.

The Japanese foreign minister stressed the importance of improved relations with India which could help both countries to use their resources for constructive purposes which they are now utilising for arms race.

The Japanese foreign minister earlier called on President Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari for an hour-long meeting.

The Japanese foreign minister expressed the hope that India and Pakistan would be able to resolve their differences and ultimately both countries would accept the CTBT.

Ikeda said that he would also urge the Indian authorities to accept CTBT when he visits India later this week. With regard to the crucial issue of UN reforms and granting three permanent seats in the Security Council to developing countries, the Japanese foreign minister remained non-committal, according to the spokesman.

While accepting that India is one of the contender for the three permanent seats for the developing countries as floated by the US, the Japanese foreign minister maintained that there has been divergent views on the issue till now.

One section feels that countries should be identified while the others think that the membership should be according to the region, the spokesman said.

Asked whether japan would be ready to mediate between India and Pakistan over the contentious issue of Kashmir, the spokesman said Japan would like to stay neutral in this issue which is historical and highly sensitive issue and even Britain had failed in its mediation attempt on the matter.