U.N. panel raps N-tests, seeks peaceful dialogue

NEW YORK, May 29 Kyodo - The U.N. Security Council (UNSC) adopted a resolution by its president Friday strongly deploring Pakistan's nuclear tests in response to India's tests earlier this month and urging both countries to pursue ''peaceful dialogue.'' The resolution called on Pakistan and India not to carry out further testing and to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Both Pakistan and India say the treaties are discriminatory and favor the longtime declared nuclear states of Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, which are permanent members of the 15-member Security Council. Pakistan carried out its first nuclear testing Thursday at the Chagai Hills testing site in western Pakistan, saying its security is threatened by India, which conducted a total of five underground nuclear tests May 11 and 13. The resolution said, ''The council also encourages India and Pakistan to participate, in a positive spirit, in the proposed negotiations with other states for a fissile material cutoff treaty in Geneva with a view to reaching early agreement.'' The statement also called on the rival countries ''to resume the dialogue between them on all outstanding issues'' without mentioning specific disputes such as the long-standing territorial row over the Kashmir region. The Security Council expressed concern over a potential flare-up of hostilities stemming from ''any steps or statement that could lead to further instability or impede their bilateral dialogue.''