India says Pakistan's nuclear tests justify own policy

NEW DELHI, May 28 Kyodo - Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said Thursday that Pakistan's nuclear tests vindicate India's nuclear policy. ''If the reports about Pakistan's tests are true, then it vindicates our nuclear policy,'' Vajpayee said after informing parliament about Pakistan's five underground nuclear tests. Vajpayee was scheduled to answer criticism about India's own nuclear tests when news of Pakistan's tests was reported. The leader of the opposition Congress Party, Sharad Pawar, suggested that parliament postpone debate on the Indian tests until Friday, saying the situation now was ''serious'' and it was time to show unity, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported. Agreeing with Pawar, Vajpayee said a new situation had arisen and parliament must discuss the issue in its entirety and in depth. ''The discussion must be serious and the issue should not be treated in a trivial manner,'' he said. ''Differences can be there on domestic issues but when it comes to any challenge from outside, we should all be prepared to face it united.'' Both houses of parliament adjourned shortly after news of Pakistan's tests. India has maintained that Pakistan has a nuclear capability and is a potential threat to it. The two countries have three four wars since independence from Britain in August 1947. Indian Army chief Gen. V.P. Malik said ''nuclear explosions conducted by Pakistan have not come as a surprise to India.'' If there was any ambiguity earlier about Pakistan's nuclear position, it no longer exists, PTI quoted Malik as saying. ''Now it is known to the world and it is better this way,'' he was quoted as saying. Meanwhile, Vajpayee held an emergency cabinet meeting Thursday evening to discuss Pakistan's nuclear tests, which came in response to India's five nuclear tests conducted earlier this month, the nation's first since 1974. India's tests sparked widespread criticism and sanctions from some countries, including the United States and Japan.