CTBT figures high on Mori's Pak. agenda

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, AUG. 20. The Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Yoshiro Mori, arrived here today on a two-day visit during which he would hold talks with the Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the tension with India on the Kashmir issue.

He was received at the airport by the Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdul Sattar, and senior officials. It was a red- carpet welcome for the visiting dignitary, who arrived from Bangladesh amid tight security. Pakistani girls in traditional dresses showered flowers on the dignitary.

Mr. Mori will meet the Pakistan President, Mr. Rafiq Tarar, tomorrow morning and hold discussions with Gen. Musharraf over lunch. It promises to be no more than a ``goodwill'' visit as there is no convergence of views between Pakistan and Japan on all major items on the agenda.

He has come to plead with his hosts to sign the CTBT and take steps to ease the tension in the region by holding a dialogue with India. Gen. Musharraf has made it known that his country will not sign the CTBT at this juncture. While Pakistan wants Japan to lift the sanctions imposed after the May 1998 nuclear tests, Japan has linked it to the signing of the CTBT.

On relations with India, Gen. Musharraf is expected to reiterate the position that while Pakistan was prepared for a dialogue to settle all outstanding issues, including Kashmir, the latter was not responding to the offer.

Faced with a serious resource crunch and mounting external debt, Pakistan is hoping against hope that Japan will lift the sanctions and resume economic relations. The sanctions have hurt the Pakistan economy and the Musharraf Government has been pleading for early resumption of normal economic ties.

According to estimates, until 1998, Japan provided Pakistan with $ 491 millions in loans and grants and was its largest trading partner. The annual trade between the two countries is estimated at $ 1 billion.

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