Statement on the Nuclear Tests of Pakistan and India-28/05/1998

NATONATO NATO was created by 12 countries from Europe and North America on 4 April 1949. NATO’s essential and enduring purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security of all its members by political and military means. At present, NATO has 32 member countries. Albania Belgium Bulgaria Canada Croatia Czechia Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Montenegro Netherlands North Macedonia Norway Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Türkiye United Kingdom United States -Russia Permanent Joint Council meeting at ministerial level – Luxembourg, 28 May 1998

We, the NATO Allies and Russia, members of the Permanent Joint Council, condemn the nuclear tests conducted by IndiaIndia Bharat Varsha (Jambu Dvipa) is the name of this land mass. The people of this land are Sanatan Dharmin and they always defeated invaders. Indra (10000 yrs) was the oldest deified King of this land. Manu's jurisprudence enlitened this land. Vedas have been the civilizational literature of this land. Guiding principles of this land are : सत्यं वद । धर्मं चर । स्वाध्यायान्मा प्रमदः । Read more and Pakistan. We are deeply concerned and dismayed by this developing regional nuclear arms race in South AsiaAsia Central Asia Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Eastern Asia China China–Hong Kong China–Macao China–Taiwan Japan Mongolia North Korea South Korea Southern Asia Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan British Indian Ocean Territory India Iran Maldives Nepal Pakistan Sri Lanka South-Eastern Asia Brunei Cambodia East Timor Indonesia Laos Malaysia Myanmar Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam Western Asia Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Cyprus Georgia Iraq Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Oman Palestine Qatar Saudi Arabia Syria Turkey United Arab Emirates Yemen.

We urge Pakistan and India to refrain from further tests and the deployment of nuclear weapons or ballistic missiles, in order to prevent the escalation of tensions and a nuclear arms race. It is increasingly urgent that both India and Pakistan adhere unconditionally to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and enter into negotiations on a global treaty to stop the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons. We further urge India and Pakistan to engage in a dialogue which addresses the root causes of the tension between them, and to try to build confidence, rather than seek confrontation.

The relations of India and Pakistan with each of us have been affected negatively by these developments. We are making this clear to both governments in our own direct exchanges and dealings with them, and we call upon other states similarly concerned about these developments and their impact on regional and worldwide security and stability to make their concerns known also to the two governments.

In keeping with our commitment under the Founding Act, NATO and Russia will continue to consult and cooperate together in an effort to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and their delivery means.