June 2nd 2002
By Lee Siew Hoon
The escalating tension in South Asia dominated discussions at the close of the three-day regional security conference in Singapore.
Quelling worldwide fears that a possible conflict with Pakistan may result in a nuclear exchange, India's Defence Minister George Fernandes said India will not be compulsive in its dealings with Pakistan.
Officials also want every Asia-Pacific country represented in future conferences.
Mr Fernandes said India was focused on combating terrorism, and does not threaten Pakistan's territorial integrity.
He stressed that India's nuclear weapon capability is meant only for self-defence, and India would never use it other than as a deterrent.
"We must look at why Pakistan's crying wolf and threathening to use weapons of mass destruction. Why, after all, did they test their missiles at this particular point of time in even the face of global condemnation. Mr Chairman I feel that the attempt is to obfuscate the real issue.
"I also like to ask why the world opinion is not strongly reacting to such open threat of Pakistan on the use of nuclear weapon? Is this not an attempt to black-mail India and the rest of the global community?"
On a separate note, Japan's Minister of State for Defence called for the Asean Regional Forum to assume a bigger role for Asia-Pacific's defence authorities to discuss regional security.
General Nakatani said this would better fulfill the region's responsibility for peace and security as a whole.
The inaugural Shangri-la dialogue came to a close after three days of multilateral discussions and informal bilateral talks n security issues in the region.
Delegates praised Singapore for creating a secure and congenial environment for the dialogue, and it will host the event again next year.
