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Pakistan needs nuclear deterrence, says US
WASHINGTON: A person no less than the US military chief has conceded that Pakistans nuclear programme is different from those of Iran and North Korea because it makes extraordinary efforts to protect its nuclear weapons while theres no reason to trust those two countries.
US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullens statement at a public forum in Aspen, Colorado, follows a meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group in New Zealand last week where the United States, contrary to media speculations, did not raise a Chinese plan to build two nuclear reactors in Pakistan.
These are the most important weapons in the Pakistani arsenal. That is understood by the leadership, and they go to extraordinary efforts to protect and secure them. These are their crown jewels, the admiral said.
Resuming US-Pakistan relations that had ended in the 1990s also was important in light of Pakistans nuclear arsenal, he said.
Dawn reported on April 29 that the US was unlikely to block the China-Pakistan nuclear deal, quoting a Washington think-tank, which observed that the US-India nuclear deal prevented the Obama administration from doing so.
But powerful newspapers like The New York Times and the Washington Post insisted that the US would raise the issue at the NSG meeting.
Admiral Mullen not only defended Pakistans efforts to protect its nuclear arsenal but also pointed out that the Pakistani programme aimed at deterring a perceived threat from India, unlike those of Iran and North Korea that Washington says would have destabilising affects around the world.
I have raised this issue with the Pakistani military since Day 1, he said. As much as we are focused on this (terrorism) threat and the Pakistanis are more than they used to be they see a threat in India and (having nuclear weapons) is their deterrent. They see this as a huge part of their national security.
As for efforts by Iran and North Korea to obtain nuclear weapons, Admiral Mullen described a different situation. There isnt any reason to trust (Iran), he said. There is an uncertainty associated with Iran that is very consistent with Iran for a long time.
North Koreas desire for nuclear weapons and its increasing aggressiveness were cause for concern, the US military chief said, adding that hed put North Korea at the top of the list of nuclear proliferation concerns.
The Chinese plan for building two additional nuclear plants in Pakistan, however, was raised informally during the five-day NSG meeting but was not placed on the agenda, apparently because Beijing ignored all efforts to hold a public debate on this issue.
In a statement issued at the end of the plenary meeting, the 46-state group of nuclear exporters said it took note of briefings on develop- ments concerning non-NSG states.
It agreed on the value of ongoing consultation and transparency.
Pakistan is not a member of the NSG, which regulates nuclear trade and generally prohibits exports to nations that have not joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Pakistan possesses nuclear weapons outside the pact, as does India, which received a waiver from the export control organisation in 2008 and has since finalised nuclear trade deals with a number of NSG nations.
China, however, insists that any civilian nuclear trade with Pakistan would not violate its international commitments as it was only implementing an agreement it signed with Pakistan before joining the NSG in 2004.
DAWN.COM | Front Page | Pakistan needs nuclear deterrence, says US
WASHINGTON: A person no less than the US military chief has conceded that Pakistans nuclear programme is different from those of Iran and North Korea because it makes extraordinary efforts to protect its nuclear weapons while theres no reason to trust those two countries.
US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullens statement at a public forum in Aspen, Colorado, follows a meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group in New Zealand last week where the United States, contrary to media speculations, did not raise a Chinese plan to build two nuclear reactors in Pakistan.
These are the most important weapons in the Pakistani arsenal. That is understood by the leadership, and they go to extraordinary efforts to protect and secure them. These are their crown jewels, the admiral said.
Resuming US-Pakistan relations that had ended in the 1990s also was important in light of Pakistans nuclear arsenal, he said.
Dawn reported on April 29 that the US was unlikely to block the China-Pakistan nuclear deal, quoting a Washington think-tank, which observed that the US-India nuclear deal prevented the Obama administration from doing so.
But powerful newspapers like The New York Times and the Washington Post insisted that the US would raise the issue at the NSG meeting.
Admiral Mullen not only defended Pakistans efforts to protect its nuclear arsenal but also pointed out that the Pakistani programme aimed at deterring a perceived threat from India, unlike those of Iran and North Korea that Washington says would have destabilising affects around the world.
I have raised this issue with the Pakistani military since Day 1, he said. As much as we are focused on this (terrorism) threat and the Pakistanis are more than they used to be they see a threat in India and (having nuclear weapons) is their deterrent. They see this as a huge part of their national security.
As for efforts by Iran and North Korea to obtain nuclear weapons, Admiral Mullen described a different situation. There isnt any reason to trust (Iran), he said. There is an uncertainty associated with Iran that is very consistent with Iran for a long time.
North Koreas desire for nuclear weapons and its increasing aggressiveness were cause for concern, the US military chief said, adding that hed put North Korea at the top of the list of nuclear proliferation concerns.
The Chinese plan for building two additional nuclear plants in Pakistan, however, was raised informally during the five-day NSG meeting but was not placed on the agenda, apparently because Beijing ignored all efforts to hold a public debate on this issue.
In a statement issued at the end of the plenary meeting, the 46-state group of nuclear exporters said it took note of briefings on develop- ments concerning non-NSG states.
It agreed on the value of ongoing consultation and transparency.
Pakistan is not a member of the NSG, which regulates nuclear trade and generally prohibits exports to nations that have not joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Pakistan possesses nuclear weapons outside the pact, as does India, which received a waiver from the export control organisation in 2008 and has since finalised nuclear trade deals with a number of NSG nations.
China, however, insists that any civilian nuclear trade with Pakistan would not violate its international commitments as it was only implementing an agreement it signed with Pakistan before joining the NSG in 2004.
DAWN.COM | Front Page | Pakistan needs nuclear deterrence, says US
