India faced a new firestorm of criticism yesterday as governments around the world condemned its actions and this time some added teeth to the denunciations.
Accusing India of outrageous contempt for world opinion, China yesterday urged the international community to close ranks to stop India from developing nuclear weapons.
In its strongest reaction yet to Indias nuclear tests, the foreign ministry said China was deeply shocked and the Indian ambassador to Beijing, Vijay Kunhianandan Nambiar, was summoned to hear a protest.
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Beijing stopped short of backing US sanctions, but made it clear that it stood with Washington. The Chinese government is deeply shocked by this and hereby expresses its strong condemnation, a Chinese foreign ministry statement said. The statement did not suggest any concrete actions that Beijing might take.
The tests had showed outrageous contempt for the common will of the international community for the comprehensive ban on nuclear tests, it said.
Chinese foreign minister Tang Jiaxuan and US secretary of state Madeleine Albright agreed on the need for a clear cut and firm stance in a telephone conversation on Wednesday, a ministry spokesman said, adding, China was working to ratify the CTBT and called on India to follow suit.
The spokesman said China had made a solemn representation to Nambiar. The foreign ministry statement lashed out at India for linking the tests to a perceived nuclear threat from China. This gratuitous accusation is solely for purpose of finding excuses for the development of its nuclear weapons, it said.
Japan said it was suspending new yen loans to India and temporarily withdrawing its ambassador. It also declined to host a meeting of donors ready to promise aid to India, and a World Bank official said the gathering had been cancelled.
Australia suspended its defence contacts with India and all non-humanitarian aid. The Philippines, Malaysia and New Zealand denounced the tests, as did Bulgaria, Romania and Kazakhstan. Stinging newspaper editorials appeared Thailand, South Korea and elsewhere.
But Russia, long Indias main arms supplier, remained in New Delhis corner, working at the UN to soften the proposed language of a UN statement deploring the tests, diplomats said.
In Tokyo, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto told reporters: I have ordered the suspension of new yen loans to India. I have also ordered our ambassador to India to return home temporarily as soon as possible.
Malaysian deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim said, we express our strong, not only concern, but also protest because I think it would destabilise the region and would encourage (a) further arms race.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said Australia had decided to suspend defence contacts with India. What the Indian government has done is to play fast and loose with international safety and security in the interests of a short-term domestic political gain, he said.
New Zealand foreign minister Don McKinnon said he was totally incredulous to hear of Indias latest nuclear tests.
South Korean foreign minister Park Chung-soo said Indias tests should not influence North Korea, which was suspected to have nuclear weapons ambitions of its own. I dont think there will be a renewed threat on the Korean peninsula..., Park said.
In New York, where the United Nations was negotiating its reaction to the tests, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said he was deeply disturbed by the blasts and General Assembly President Hennady Udovenko of Ukraine expressed dismay and disappointment.