Pakistan: Will Disarm Nukes if India Does

SlowwHand · May 5, 2003, 08:54

It's always nice to hear a voice of reason.

Pakistan: Will Disarm Nukes if India Does
12 minutes ago

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistan will get rid of its nuclear arsenal if rival India does as well, a Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday.
"As far as Pakistan is concerned, if India is ready to denuclearize, we would be happy to denuclearize," Aziz Ahmed Khan said. "But it will have to be mutual."

Pakistan and India declared themselves nuclear powers after detonating atomic bombs in 1998. They have not opened their arsenals to international inspectors and it is not known exactly how many weapons they have.

The two South Asian neighbors have fought three wars since British rule of the subcontinent ended in 1947. Two of those wars have been over the disputed Kashmir (news - web sites) region, which is divided between both nations but still claimed by both in its entirety.

India's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to Khan's remarks. New Delhi has said before that its nuclear program is not driven by Pakistan alone.

Last week, India and Pakistan said they would hold their first diplomatic talks in two years. They also agreed to appoint new ambassadors and restore civil air links.

No date has been set for the new talks, but Pakistani officials have said they will occur soon. Khan said Pakistan "received a positive response" to its proposal last week that Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee pay a visit.

The international community fears that the dispute between India and Pakistan could lead to nuclear confrontation, and has pressed the two to hold peace talks.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...d=516&ncid=716

Az · May 5, 2003, 08:56

Won't happen. India has china to worry about, too.

and of course, Pakistan knows it.

SlowwHand · May 5, 2003, 09:13

China, has China to worry about.

Az · May 5, 2003, 09:37

oh sorry, of course.

Proteus_MST · May 5, 2003, 09:38

It would be really nice if the voice of reason would lead to real actions.

I doubt it, because on both sides there are also hardliners which wouldn´t like to see their military strength weakened and of course this mutual disarmament would mean that both, India and Pakistan would have to open their arsenals to international controls, which would proably also be oppposed by factions in India and Pakistan.

But at least there are people which are reasonable enough, so maybe theres still hope

Az · May 5, 2003, 09:42

'hardliners' wtf?

Why is it so difficult to understand that two countries, with hundreds of millions of people want to get nukes?

I was honestly afraid when Saddam tried to get nukes. but surprised? nope.

Proteus_MST · May 5, 2003, 10:07

Hard to understand?

No, it isn´t.

It could even save you from getting attacked by Bush jr, I assume (I guess, if Saddam had possessed Nukes, Bush would have refrained from attacking Iraq).

It´s just sad and the world would be a safer place without them. (especially, if you think about the fact, that most larger strategic nukes are intended to be launched at Cities and therefore are Weapons not to fight against the military, but to strike civilians)

Sava · May 5, 2003, 10:10

Pakistan, voice of reason...

Az · May 5, 2003, 10:13

Proteus: well, of course. It is obvious, that we'd better without them, and wars in general. I am just telling you the way it is.

Proteus_MST · May 5, 2003, 10:19

Quote:

Originally posted by Azazel
Proteus: well, of course. It is obvious, that we'd better without them, and wars in general. I am just telling you the way it is.

Of course, and I agree with you that this is the way, the world is.

It is a world far far away from the best of all worlds where the saying "Homo homini lupus est" has to be taken seriously

Az · May 5, 2003, 10:21

I think that we're using 'of course' too much.

DinoDoc · May 5, 2003, 10:21

Quote:

Originally posted by SlowwHand
It's always nice to hear a voice of reason.

It's an excellent way to make India look bad since they already know that they won't do it.

Az · May 5, 2003, 10:22

I already said it, DD.

SlowwHand · May 5, 2003, 10:36

Quote:

Originally posted by Azazel
I think that we're using 'of course' too much.

Well, of course.

But, one has to remember that at ACS, everyone knows all, of course.

Az · May 5, 2003, 10:39

I have a distinct feeling that this thread is slowly heading off course.

kittenOFchaos · May 5, 2003, 11:02

Ah, Pakistan is running scared, time to up the anti

Edan · May 5, 2003, 11:12

Neither side will disarm because both don't believe the other side will honestly disarm. This is a PR move, nothing more.

You can't put the nuclear genie back in the bottle once it's been opened...

Drake Tungsten · May 5, 2003, 11:45

I'd agree if I were India. Get US inspectors to ensure transparency in both side's disarmament. If the Pakis don't go through with it, you come out smelling like roses. If the Paki's do disarm, you've just gotten rid of the biggest nuclear proliferation threat in the world. And who cares about China? They aren't going to launch a first-strike against you and the Himalayas should slow up any conventional attack long enough to allow you to deal with it.

Edan · May 5, 2003, 11:49

Quote:

If the Pakis don't go through with it, you come out smelling like roses.

Smelling like roses doesn't keep you from feeling as dumb as an idiot if you've just gotten rid of your nuclear weapons and your enemy hasn't.

DanS · May 5, 2003, 11:49

It´s just sad and the world would be a safer place without them. (especially, if you think about the fact, that most larger strategic nukes are intended to be launched at Cities and therefore are Weapons not to fight against the military, but to strike civilians)

I don't know this to be true. I bet the US and USSR would have had at least one war during the Cold War, if they had not been available.

Drake Tungsten · May 5, 2003, 11:51

Quote:

Smelling like roses doesn't keep you from feeling as dumb as an idiot if you've just gotten rid of your nuclear weapons and your enemy hasn't.

You'd obviously wait to see if the Pakis were really going through with the disarmament before you destroyed all your nukes. Just destroy a few of yours and then wait to see if Pakistan follows suit; India has more nukes than Pakistan anyway, so they can spare a few.

Urban Ranger · May 5, 2003, 12:24

No surprise there. Pakistan developed nuclear weapons in response to India.

SlowwHand · May 5, 2003, 12:31

And someone has to take first step, in any negotiation.

Ramo · May 5, 2003, 13:48

Yep, what Dal said. There's no way India's going to disarm their nukes considering China.

Japher · May 5, 2003, 13:53

I once got in a fight with my sister with wooden spoons as weapons. We were giving each other really big welts, and while we were still mad at each other we thought it would be better not to use weapons. I told her that if she put her wooden spoon down that I would. So, she put down her wooden spoon. I smacked her with mine.

The I will if you will thing is so stupid, and it is not the first step in negotiating. One should lead by example, not ask other to...of course

orange · May 5, 2003, 13:58

i doubt it'll happen...seems to be 'for show' only. But that would be nice

Arrian · May 5, 2003, 13:59

Quote:

once got in a fight with my sister with wooden spoons as weapons. We were giving each other really big welts, and while we were still mad at each other we thought it would be better not to use weapons. I told her that if she put her wooden spoon down that I would. So, she put down her wooden spoon. I smacked her with mine.

You little ****er!

-Arrian

Imran Siddiqui · May 5, 2003, 15:08

Quote:

I once got in a fight with my sister with wooden spoons as weapons. We were giving each other really big welts, and while we were still mad at each other we thought it would be better not to use weapons. I told her that if she put her wooden spoon down that I would. So, she put down her wooden spoon. I smacked her with mine.

--

Yeah, India will never agree. But at least it gives rise to some optimism.

SlowwHand · May 5, 2003, 15:50

India could use the money for other things, for sure.
Like, more train cars.

Proteus_MST · May 5, 2003, 16:20

Quote:

Originally posted by Japher
I once got in a fight with my sister with wooden spoons as weapons. We were giving each other really big welts, and while we were still mad at each other we thought it would be better not to use weapons. I told her that if she put her wooden spoon down that I would. So, she put down her wooden spoon. I smacked her with mine.

Maybe she better had better called some independent Organization to overwatch the mutual disarmament