Nuke deal with China strictly in accordance with IAEA rules, insists Pak
June 28th, 2010 - 4:50 pm ICT by ANIIslamabad, June 28 (ANI): Pakistan has reiterated that its civil nuclear deal with China is in accordance with the norms set out by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Foreign Office spokesperson, Abdul Basit said that Islamabad and Beijing have a history of nuclear cooperation, and demands of a clarification in this regard were unjustified.
“The programme is purely for peaceful objectives and is according to the safeguards of IAEA,” The Daily Times quoted Basit, as saying.
“The cooperation was totally in accordance with our respective international responsibilities,” he added while responding to India’s demand for clarification over the issue.
China has offered to set up two 650 megawatts nuclear reactors in Pakistan’s Punjab’s Chasma province’, over which both the US and India have raised serious concerns.
Questions and concerns have been raised and aired by New Delhi about the proposed sale of reactors to Pakistan by China.
India ’s main apprehension is whether or not these reactors would be the “grandfather” of previous reactors supplied to Pakistan.
India also believes there is a need to meet NSG and IAEA guidelines, official sources said, adding that New Delhi is not against Pakistan developing its economic sector.
China, which has been a member of the NSG since 2004, is required to seek an exemption from the 45-nation grouping that controls global flow of nuclear technology and material before supplying reactors to Pakistan.
Pakistan has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
China insists the sale of two nuclear reactors to Islamabad is in accordance with its international obligations. There are however, chances of NSG countries coming together to let Beijing go through this “grandfather” of deals.
India is not an NSG member and is strictly opposed to this “grandfather” formula promoted by Beijing. New Delhi also has reservations over expanding nuclear ties between all weather friends Pakistan and China.
It should be noted that the 45-member NSG had granted a waiver to India to facilitate a civil nuclear deal with the United States in 2008, even though it was not a signatory to theNPT. (ANI)
- Pak insists nuke deal with China 'transparent' - Jul 06, 2010
- Pak did not oppose India-US civil nuclear deal, says Zardari - Jul 12, 2010
- India in touch with NSG members on Sino-Pak nuke deal: Sources - Jun 20, 2010
- 'Peaceful' nuclear deal with Pak in line with international obligations: China - Jun 17, 2010
- US says China can't do nuclear deal with Pak sans NSG approval - Jun 16, 2010
- US opposes China-Pakistan nuke deal - Jun 16, 2010
- India examining China-Pakistan n-deal, leaves it to NSG - May 25, 2010
- IAEA informed about new N-plant in Pakistan: China - Sep 22, 2010
- US, China on collision course over helping Pak build nuke reactors - Jun 21, 2010
- US seeks more info from China over contentious nuclear reactor deal with Pak - Jun 29, 2010
- India pleased yet guarded on nuke group's stand - Jun 26, 2010
- Despite US' concerns China to move ahead on Pak nuke deal - Jun 23, 2010
- US committed to India n-deal despite Japan disaster - Mar 19, 2011
- India taps NSG over China-Pakistan n-deal - Jun 20, 2010
- US all but gives up on stalling Sino-Pak nuclear agreement - Jul 04, 2010
Tags: atomic energy agency, chasma, economic sector, foreign office, global flow, international atomic energy, international atomic energy agency, international atomic energy agency iaea, international obligations, international responsibilities, megawatts, non proliferation treaty, npt, nuclear cooperation, nuclear deal, nuclear non proliferation treaty, nuclear reactors, nuclear technology, pakistan india, serious concerns