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Pak N-test situation unclear: Chidambaram

It will take some time before coming to a firm conclusion on whether or not Pakistan exploded a nuclear device on Sunday, May 17, Atomic Energy Commission chairman Dr R Chidambaram said in Bombay on Monday.

Interacting with scientists of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Dr Chidambaram said from the seismic data collected by the Gauribudnor Array Centre in Karnataka, all that was confirmed was that there seemed to have been a mild tremor.

As the signals recorded were very low and the waves formed were feeble, one has to wait for some time before coming to a firm conclusion one way or the other, Dr Chidambaram felt.

German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, quoting information received, had said in Birmingham, England, on Sunday that Pakistan had carried out a nuclear test.

The mildness of the tremour had led to some speculation in the international media that Pakistan's N-test had proved to be a dud. Pakistan later denied the reports.

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