Tom Harkin: “Again, Mr. President, it is time to reduce the tensions in that area. The best way to do that is to use our good…”

“Again, Mr. President, it is time to reduce the tensions in that area. The best way to do that is to use our good offices, the administration, and also to let our voices be heard so that our friends in India--and I say that forthrightly; India is not an enemy of ours. They are a friend of ours. We have relations with India. But they have to understand the gravity of this situation. They have to understand that if they would clearly state that they will not conduct nuclear testing, how much further that would advance the cause of peace and reduce the tensions in that area. Perhaps then we can get about bringing both India and Pakistan together, to stall the problems that we have in Kashmir, where thousands of innocent people are losing their lives. It need not be that way. We can solve these problems. But India must first renounce the use of nuclear weapons and must first state very clearly that they are not going to conduct nuclear testing. With that out of the road, and I believe the pathway would be clear for this administration and for other governments to get India and Pakistan together to solve the outstanding problems that continue to engulf the entire area.”