The Hindu : `Tit-for-tat test' by Pak. likely

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 10, 2003

International

International

`Tit-for-tat test' by Pak. likely

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD JAN. 9. With the test-firing of the intermediate-range Agni missile by India, indications are that Pakistan may follow up with a `tit-for-tat test' though the controversy over its alleged nuclear linkage to North Korea is bothering the Pervez Musharraf and Mir Zafarullah Khan Government.

The degree of sensitivity on the issue of North Korea was evident when the Foreign Office today took the extraordinary step of clarifying the recent "contact" between the Pakistan President and the newly-appointed North Korean Ambassador to Pakistan in Islamabad.

A Foreign Office spokesman said that on January 4 eight ambassadors presented their credentials to the President, which included the new ambassador of DPRK. The President expressed Pakistan's desire to improve relations with the countries they represented.

"In his brief conversation with the ambassador of DPRK, the President expressed his satisfaction at the cordial relations between Pakistan and DPRK and hoped for further improvement in economic and commercial relations. The President also reiterated Pakistan's policy to strictly adhere to its commitments and obligations with respect to sensitive technologies," the spokesman said.

However, it was not clear as to what prompted Gen. Musharraf to raise the issue of Pakistan's commitments and obligations with respect to "sensitive technologies". The wording of the statement gives the avoidable impression that the North Korean envoy raised the topic and Gen. Musharraf responded.

In a related development, Gen. Musharraf asserted here today that Pakistan's armed forces were fully capable of defending the land, sea and air frontiers of the country and this had been proved beyond a shadow of doubt during the recent escalation on the borders with India.

Victory without waging war has been the theme song of Gen. Musharraf since India announced a phased withdrawal of troops in October last year.

An official statement said that during his visit to the Naval Headquarters, Gen. Musharraf paid rich tributes to the motivation, unswerving faith, devotion to duty and high standards of professionalism displayed by the officers and men of the Pakistan Navy during the recent India-Pakistan tensions.

He told the gathering that all Pakistanis were proud of their armed forces. Despite resource constraints all possible steps were being taken for the acquisition and indigenous manufacture of weapons and equipment for the armed forces.

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