(6 August 1998, The Chugoku Shimbun)

Ambassadors of India and Pakistan Attended Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony for the First Time

"We want to share the pain of Hiroshima which lingers on more than 50 years", said the Ambassadors of India and Pakistan. With the nuclear tests by India and Pakistan in May, the tensions escalated between both countries. On a brink of a new crisis, Indian Ambassador to Japan Siddharth Singh and Pakistani Ambassador to Japan Toquir Hussain attended the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony for the first time.

Ambassadors of India and Pakistan took seats in the section for the distinguished guests, which was the fourth row from the front. Having the Tentative Ambassador of Germany in between, Hon. Siddharth Singh and Hon. Toquir Hussain sat in the line. They exchanged a casual greeting before the ceremony at 7:30 AM.

But once the ceremony began, both Ambassadors stared at the front and did not move an inch. Hiroshima Mayor Takashi Hiraoka said in the Peace Declaration, "With the nuclear tests by India and Pakistan, tension has been raised to new extremes in Southwest Asia and the nuclear proliferation regime has been shaken to its core." While the Mayor was delivering the declaration and other guests were addressing remarks to condemn the nuclear tests by India and Pakistan, they had a nervous look on their faces but kept their concentration.

"At any cost, I wanted to join silent prayer for the repose of the souls of A-bombing victims", said Indian Ambassador Siddharth Singh. He emphasized, "I realized again that causalities caused by nuclear weapons was indiscriminatory". Pakistani Ambassador Toquir Hussain spoke forcefully, "What happened to Hiroshima had been breaking our hearts. (By attending the ceremony,) I became deeply aware of the continuing tragedy until now."

As for the nuclear tests, "Different from five declared nuclear states, we can aim for the elimination of all nuclear weapons in the world, we conducted the tests for the purpose of national security", said Indian Ambassador Siddharth Singh. Both Ambassadors persisted in their own opinions, "I ask your understanding that Pakistan was forced to carry out nuclear tests and especially small countries like Pakistan, it is our last chance of survival." said Pakistani Ambassador Toquir Hussain.

Two Pakistani journalists, who were invited to Hiroshima by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attended the Peace Memorial Ceremony. A staff writer of English Newspaper (age 49) interviewed a survivor who is a resident of Sera Cho, Sera District. She asked questions as, "What do you think about Pakistan's nuclear tests?"

Picture: Exchanging Words before the ceremony, Indian Ambassador Siddharth Singh (right) and Pakistani Ambassador Toquir Hussain (left)