UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01 ISLAMA 11943 180903Z
12
ACTION NEA-10
INFO OCT-01 ISO-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 PM-04 H-02 INR-07 L-03
NSAE-00 NSC-05 PA-02 PRS-01 SP-02 SS-15 USIA-15 OMB-01
FEA-01 ACDA-10 IO-13 EB-07 NRC-07 OES-06 ERDA-07
EUR-12 MC-02 /133 W
--------------------- 024436
R 170935Z NOV 76 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8659
INFO AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
AMEMBASSY KABUL
AMEMBASSY DACCA
UNCLAS ISLAMABAD 11943
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS : PK, PINT, PFOR, IN, MNUC,
SUBJ : BHUTTO INTERVIEW WITH INDIAN JOURNALIST
1. NOVEMBER 15 PAK PRESS CARRIED TEXT OF INTERVIEW BETWEEN
PRIME MINISTER BHUTTO AND INDIAN JOURNALIST MOTI RAM, FIRST
INDIAN TO INTERVIEW PM OVER PAST THREE YEARS. INTERVIEW
WITH RAM, DESCRIBED BY INDIAN EMB HERE AS ELDERLY EX-FREEDEOM
FIGHTER WHOSE ARTICLES APPEAR FROM TIME TO TIME IN NATIONAL
HERALD AND ELSEWHERE, TOOK PLACE SEPTEMBER 23, BUT WAS
NOT RELEASED FOR SEVEN WEEKS.
2. INTERVIEW WAS CURIOUS IN THAT EACH PARTY INTERVIEWED
THE OTHER, MARKED DIFFERENCE FROM CUSTOMARY BHUTTO APPROACH.
THIS FORMAT ALLOWED MOTI RAM TO OBSERVE IN COURSE DISCUSSION
OF KASHMIR ISSUE, WHICH DOMINATED INTERVIEW, THAT "NO GOVERN-
MENT IN INDIA CAN MAINTAIN ITSELF IN POWER IF IT SURRENDERS ANY
PART OF KASHMIR NOW HELD BY INDIA," A POINT RARELY SEEN IN PAK
PRESS. BHUTTO REJOINED THAT "NO GOVERNMENT IN PAKISTAN WILL LET
ITS STRENGTH GO TO ITS HEAD AND THINK IT CAN SURVIVE IF IT
ACCEPTS THE PRESENT POSITION IN THE STATE OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR."
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 ISLAMA 11943 180903Z
PM REJECTED MOTI RAM'S SUGGESTION THAT THERE BE FREE MOVEMENT
BETWEEN THE TWO PARTS OF KASHMIR.
3. INTERVIEW ALSO PROVIDED PM OPPORTUNITY TO REITERATE ONCE
AGAIN GOP DETERMINATION TO GO AHEAD WITH REPROCESSING
PLANT. AS FAR AS PAKISTAN IS CONCERNED, HE STATED, THE
FRANCO-PAK AGREEMENT "IS THERE." "THE FRENCH ALSO SAY THAT THEY
INTEND TO HONOUR THIS AGREEMENT. WE WILL NOT RETRACT FROM
THE AGREEMENT. I DO NOT EXPECT THE FRENCH TO DO SO, EITHER.
WE ARE GOING TO GET THE REPROCESSING PLANT. IF THE
FRENCH ACCEPT THE CONTENTION OF THE AMERICANS THAT OUR
AGREEMENT DOES NOT CONTAIN FOOLPROOF SAFEGUARDS, WE DON'T
MIND TALKING ABOUT REWORDING THE SAFEGUARD CLAUSES BECAUSE OUR
INTENTIONS ARE CLEAR. WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN USING THE
REPROCESSING PLANT FOR RECYCLING NUCLEAR WASTE FOR THE
PRODUCTION OF WEAPONS." " OUR REQUIREMENT OF A NUCLEAR
REPROCESSING PLANT," PM CONCLUDED, "IS FOR OUR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT."
BYROADE
UNCLASSIFIED
NNN