Speaking at a function in Dhaka, Gujral said the approach of the two countries to the South Asian situation brings to mind the colonial era when the globe was divided into competing zones of influence. This is Gujral's first visit to Bangladesh after stepping down from office. He said India undertook the nuclear tests because its well-founded security concerns remained unaddressed by the international community. There is no reason to harbour fears of India engaging itself in any arms race as it does not seek anything beyond a credible deterrent, Gujral said. The Pakistan government too would be averse to an arms race in the region, he added.
Multilateral approaches are non-starters.
No outsider can ever gain the confidence of the people nor of various agencies and organs that have an interest in the issue. The former PM also justified the Gujral doctrine, saying it was a 'commonsense' approach. Neither India or Pakistan can pack and leave the other. Meanwhile, China renewed its criticism of India, dubbing New Delhi the cause of South Asia's nuclear arms race and urging it to ease regional tensions. Its foreign ministry spokesman Tang Guoqiang defended the joint statement by Clinton and Jiang.