India, Pakistan urged to join nuclear talks with G-8, China

TOKYO, May 29 Kyodo - India and Pakistan have been invited to attend an emergency foreign minister meeting of Group of Eight (G-8) nations and China to discuss South Asia nuclear tests, a top Japanese Foreign Ministry official said Friday. The official said on condition of anonymity that Britain, which has floated the idea of an emergency meeting, has invited India and Pakistan to the talks tentatively scheduled for June 10. Pakistan detonated five nuclear devices Thursday after India held its own nuclear tests earlier this month. A Japanese government source said earlier Friday Britain is calling on the G-8 as well as all permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France -- to meet around June 10 to discuss Pakistan's tests. Japanese Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi is expected to attend the gathering, the source said. China is the only permanent member of U.N. Security Council that does not belong to the G-8. All Security Council permanent members are declared nuclear weapons states. The Foreign Ministry official also said although it is uncertain how the talks would be held, one scenario would be that the G-8 and China would try to persuade India and Pakistan to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka said, ''It is necessary to deal with (Pakistan's nuclear testing) internationally to maintain peace in South Asia and adhere to the nuclear nonproliferation regimes.'' At a news conference Friday morning, Obuchi referred to the urgent necessity for Japan to play a leading role in working to convene an international conference among nuclear powers and economic powers to discuss nuclear issues. ''It is desirable that the (declared) nuclear powers and countries which have large responsibility in the world should gather to discuss this issue seriously,'' Obuchi said. At the summit meeting earlier this month in Birmingham, England, leaders from the G-8 condemned India's nuclear tests and pledged to work closely together to support international nonproliferation regimes and strengthen their cooperation.