Brazil, Argentina slam Pakistan's nuclear tests

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, May 28 Kyodo - The Brazilian and Argentine governments slammed Pakistan on Thursday for conducting five nuclear tests which, according to scientists, caused tremors measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale. The Brazilian Foreign Ministry said the tests put at risk the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which the administration of President Fernando Henrique Cardoso considers to be essential for international peace and safety. ''We deplore the decision by the Pakistani government, which follows a similar act by India, and could provoke an arms race in the region,'' the Foreign Ministry said in a communique. Brazil deeply regrets that Pakistan did not accept all the international appeals not to carry out the tests, it said. Argentina has also criticized the tests. The Argentine Foreign Ministry expressed concern that the nuclear tests conducted by Indian and Pakistan might ''have negative consequences for peace and security in the region.''