By Susanna Loof
Associated Press Writer
Saturday, Oct. 2, 1999; 6:52 p.m. EDT

STOCKHOLM, Sweden –– Another war between India and Pakistan could include a nuclear exchange, former U.S. defense secretary William Perry said Saturday at an arms control symposium.

"The losing side might be tempted to use nuclear weapons in a desperate attempt to save the day," Perry said.

Speaking in a panel discussion that ended a two-day Nobel Symposium called "A future arms control agenda," Perry said he thinks it's likely that more nations will obtain nuclear weapons.

"Last year's India test ruptured the fragile barrier of the (Non Proliferation Treaty). Not surprisingly, Pakistan quickly followed suit, and my expectation is that we will see Iran, Iraq and possibly Syria go nuclear as well," he said.

Francesco Calogero of Italy, a former executive of the Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs, winner of the 1995 Nobel Peace Prize, said the availability of highly enriched uranium – the kind used in nuclear weapons – is particularly worrisome.

"I think that there is an even chance that a nuclear explosion in a city will occur in the next decade," he said. "This nuclear explosion will be due to a terrorist act, or perhaps be made by ... some crazy people."

Less than 220 pounds of highly enriched uranium is needed to make a bomb, and there's more than 2.2 million pounds of the material in Russia alone, Calogero said. Nations, organizations and "very rich individuals" ought to help reduce the risk by offering payment for de-enriching of uranium, Calogero said.