WASHINGTON: The United States will soon announce an end to its arms embargo against Pakistan, Under-Secretary of State Joseph Sisco said in a television interview here today [Feb 23]. Reuter quoted the Press Trust of India as saying the United States officially conveyed to India two days ago that it had decided to lift the embargo on arms supplies to Pakistan. ... Appearing on NBC`s `Meet the Press` Mr. Sisco said: the decadeold embargo on arms shipments to Pakistan will be ended shortly. `I expect an announcement on this very soon.` The Under Secretary did not state specifically that the embargo would be lifted, but he did not challenge a reporter`s assumption that it would be. ...

Pakistan Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto visited Washington early in February and at that time President Ford said the possibility of dropping the embargo would receive active consideration. But, asked if the lifting of the embargo would damage the United States relationship with India, Mr.

Sisco responded: `In my judgement it should not. I think we have explained this quite thoroughly. We are not trying to balance one side against the other.