No benefits in not signing CTBT: Pak.

By Amit Baruah

ISLAMABAD, JAN. 4. Pakistan continues building its domestic case for an early signature on the CTBT, a move it believes could take some pressure off it from donor-countries and, simultaneously, lend greater legitimacy to the military regime of Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

Addressing a seminar at the Institute of Policy Studies, the Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdul Sattar, said today: ``Not signing the Treaty has identifiable costs, but not benefits. Signing the CTBT has no identifiable costs even though the benefits, too, are more intangible than concrete.

A sound policy should keep Pakistan in the mainstream rather than push us to the fringe, liable to international isolation''.

The Foreign Minister also gave a clear indication that it would be in Pakistan's interests to sign before India does. ``Now, India, too is moving towards signing. Then Pakistan would become the only holdout state. There is no reason why Pakistan should allow itself to be placed in such a situation....''.

Admitting that the prospects of the CTBT entering into force had become ``uncertain'' after the U.S. Senate rejected the Treaty, Mr. Sattar said: ``It does not matter which state signs first and which last. Only after the 44 states have ratified it, will the CTBT come into force''.

``A view has been advanced that the country that signs the CTBT last will wield the maximum bargaining leverage.

The greater likelihood is that the last state will be isolated and subjected to more burdensome pressures and penalties. Already, several states, including Japan, our biggest economic partner, have held up assistance for key development projects,'' the Foreign Minister argued.

``Besides, for one state (read India) to obtain special rewards not allowed to other signatories will be fundamentally objectionable. It should not be forgotten that signing is only one of the two necessary steps; the second is ratification. If a state (read Pakistan) discovers it is the target of discrimination, that would be an eminently good reason to refuse ratification,'' he said. At the outset, the Foreign Minister said: ``when Pakistan had been the target of vicious Indian propaganda, motivated by a preconceived design to falsely implicate Pakistan in the Indian plane hijacking incident, it might seem odd to speak about the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

But this meeting was scheduled earlier and I felt we should not allow (our) agenda to be determined by priorities of others.''

``We do not allow policy to be side-tracked by the preference of others. Our conduct throughout the incident reflects our desire for peace with India.

Our Government acted in accordance with law and humanitarian norms....the Indian Government decided to build up artificial tension, illustrating once again its animus and hostility to Pakistan. That has served to make evident the rationale of Pakistan's nuclear programme....`` he said.

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Section  : International
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