President Clinton: we have no choice but to impose sanctions

President Clinton condemned Pakistan for its actions: "I deplore the decision, by failing to exercise restraint Pakistan has lost a truly priceless opportunity ... two wrongs don't make a right. "

Clinton: two wrongs don't make a right

He said that America would impose sanctions on Pakistan in the way it imposed them on India as punishment for the nuclear tests it conducted earlier in the month.

"It is now more urgent than it was yesterday that both India and Pakistan renounce further tests and sign the comprehensive test ban treaty ... and reverse the dangerous arms race," he said.

UK

Cook: dismayed at the tests

The UK Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, announced on Friday that Britain was recalling its High Commissioner to Pakistan for consultations.

Earlier, Mr Cook said he was "dismayed" by the nuclear tests.

He said it was urgent for Pakistan and India to back off from what he said was a regional arms race in which the two countries were becoming engaged.

Mr Cook urged the two countries to resume dialogue and sign up unconditionally to the comprehensive test ban treaty and the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

China

The Chinese Government says it "deeply regrets" the nuclear tests.

Foreign Secretary Robin Cook gives the British reaction to the tests

Foreign ministry spokesman, Zhu Bangzao, said: "The Chinese Government is deeply worried about this and feels uneasy about the present nuclear race in South Asia.

"We hereby call on countries concerned in South Asia to exercise the utmost restraint and to immediately abandon all nuclear weapons development programmes," he said.

China and Pakistan have enjoyed a close military relationship for several decades. A few hours before Pakistan announced its nuclear tests, Zhu Bangzao said that India was "solely" to blame for the unstable situation in South Asia.

Russia

The Russian foreign ministry says it is "disappointed " by the tests.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin earlier met Pakistan's ambassador to Moscow, Mansoor Alam, and was quoted by Interfax news agency as expressing "concern about what might occur in the south Asian region after India's recent tests".

France

France has condemned the nuclear tests and urged Pakistan not to conduct any more.

"France regrets that Pakistan did not take account of calls made to it to show restraint," the Foreign Ministry said.

"It deplores and condemns these tests which run counter to world efforts to prevent proliferation and testing."

Germany

Kinkel: condemns the tests

Germany has joined in the condemnation of the tests, calling on both India and Pakistan to avoid any escalation in tensions but is warning that it will not support European Union sanctions on Pakistan.

"The federal government condemns today's Pakistani nuclear tests," Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel said in a statement.

"The nuclear genie has escaped from the bottle again," he said. "Imposing sanctions cannot put it back in again."

Nato

Jamie Shea, spokesman for NATO's secretary general: dismay, consternation, condemnation

Nato has urged Pakistan and India to exercise maximum restraint.

The Nato Secretary General, Javier Solana, said: "We strongly condemn both Pakistan and India's nuclear tests which have profound implications for the security of the region and beyond."

Another senior Nato official speaking in Luxembourg: "The ministers will be extremely preoccupied by these tests. Pakistan will expose itself to the prospect of very rigorous sanctions which its economy can ill afford."

Australia

The Australian Government has responded to the tests by withdrawing its offer to double bilateral aid to Pakistan.

"We did say it was contingent (on the Pakistani Government not conducting any nuclear tests)," said a spokesman for Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer.

South Africa

The South African Government says it is "deeply concerned" at the nuclear tests.

"As a matter of principle South Africa opposes all nuclear tests since they do not contribute to promoting world peace and security," said a foreign ministry spokesman.