Pakistan aims for nuclear acceptance

[Cheetah786]

China has agreed to help build two new nuclear power plants in Pakistan after a visit by Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan's president, to Beijing.

The agreement was among 12 accords signed during the visit, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan's foreign minister, said on Saturday.

China, a major investor and arms supplier for Pakistan, has already helped it build a nuclear power plant at Chashma, about 200km southwest of the capital, Islamabad. Work on a second nuclear plant is in progress and is expected to be completed in 2011.

"Pakistan and China have signed agreement for Chashma-3 and Chashma-4 ... 680 megawatts of electricity will be generated from these two new plants," Qureshi said.

He did not say when they would be built or what assistance China would provide.

Pakistan is suffering from acute power shortages with officials saying that there is a shortfall of up to 4,000MW.

US refusal

The deal with China comes after the US refused to offer Pakistan a nuclear deal similar to one given to neighbouring nuclear power India.

Richard Boucher, US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs, arrived in Islamabad on Saturday for a series of meetings.

He met Rehman Malik, the head of the interior ministry, and was expected to hold talks with Zardari and Yousuf Raza Gilani, the Pakistani prime minister, with security issues high on the agenda.

Chinese leaders "do recognise Pakistan's need, and China is one country that at international forums has clearly spoken against the discriminatory nature of that understanding" between Washington and New Delhi, Qureshi said.

But Washington has pointed to Islamabad's poor record on nuclear proliferation and the role played by Abdul Qadeer Khan, a Pakistani scientist, in passing nuclear knowledge to Iran, Libya and North Korea.

The US deal with India allows American businesses to sell nuclear fuel, technology and reactors to India in exchange for safeguards and UN inspections of India's civilian, but not military, nuclear installations.

'Friends of Pakistan'

Qureshi also said China would participate in a "Friends of Pakistan" conference, aimed at helping the country secure funds to overcome a balance of payments crisis, due to take place in Abu Dhabi next month.

According to uncorroborated media reports, Zardari requested more than $3bn support during his visit to Beijing.

Shaukat Tarin, the recently appointed adviser to the prime minister on economic affairs, said Chinese companies had committed to invest $1bn in Pakistan by June next year.

Pakistan plans to set up industrial zones for Chinese firms, Chinese banks intend opening branches in Pakistan, and Chinese executives from the information technology and telecommunications sectors are due to seek opportunities for investment.

Al Jazeera English - CENTRAL/S. ASIA - Pakistan to get Chinese nuclear aid

 

[Imran Khan]

sir this one already posted so mant time in two threads

 

[fatman17]

Pakistan gets power plant deal

From the Associated Press
October 19, 2008


ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN -- Pakistan said Saturday that China would help build two more nuclear power plants in the energy-starved Muslim nation, tightening the bonds between the two countries as rising militant violence in Pakistan strains its anti-terrorism alliance with the United States.

The nuclear agreement was among a dozen economic cooperation accords signed last week during President Asif Ali Zardari's visit to Beijing, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said.


Although Qureshi gave few details, enhanced cooperation with China probably will help ease Pakistan's resentment of a recent deal allowing U.S. businesses to sell nuclear fuel, technology and reactors to India.

U.S. officials, including Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher, who held talks Saturday in Islamabad, have rejected Pakistani calls for equal treatment, in light of Pakistan's history of leaking nuclear secrets.

The China-Pakistan deal comes as Russia is helping to build a nuclear plant in Iran. That means the U.S., China and Russia have each established a nuclear foothold in a strategic country in the region stretching from the Persian Gulf to South Asia.


Chinese leaders "recognize Pakistan's need, and China is one country that at international forums has clearly spoken against the discriminatory nature" of the U.S.-India pact, Qureshi said at a news conference in Islamabad, the capital.

China, a major investor and arms supplier for Pakistan, shares Islamabad's fierce regional rivalry with India.

China has helped Pakistan build a nuclear power plant at Chashma, about 125 miles southwest of the capital. Work on a second nuclear plant is in progress and is expected to be completed in 2011.

Qureshi did not say whether there are measures in place to prevent nuclear materials from the new plants from being diverted to Pakistan's atomic weapons program.

Los Angeles Times - News from Los Angeles, California and the World

 

[Black Stone]

We help the Indians, the Chinese help the Pakistani's and the Russians help the Iranians.

One big family, how sweet.

 

[Neo]

Multiple threads merged.

 

[dr.umer]

China wins friends with Pakistan deal ​

19 Oct 2008

China has won new friends in Pakistan with its pledge to build two nuclear power plants in the energy-starved nation just weeks after rival India signed an atomic deal with the United States.

The nuclear agreement comes amid strains in Pakistan's anti-terror alliance with Washington over rising militant violence that threatens to destabilize Afghanistan.

It was among a dozen economic cooperation accords signed during President Asif Ali Zardari's recent visit to Beijing, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Saturday.

While Qureshi gave few details, enhanced cooperation with China will likely help offset Pakistan's resentment of a recent deal allowing U.S. businesses to sell nuclear fuel, technology and reactors to neighboring archrival India.

"Pakistan wanted the Chinese to do what the Americans had done for India," said Talat Masood, a prominent political commentator. "It shows that China is supportive of Pakistan irrespective of the international climate. America is not an all-weather friend."

U.S. officials have rejected Pakistani calls for equal treatment with India _ usually with reference to Pakistan's past history of leaking sensitive nuclear secrets.

Chinese leaders "do recognize Pakistan's need, and China is one country that at international forums has clearly spoken against the discriminatory nature" of the U.S.-India pact, Qureshi said at a news conference.

China, a major investor and arms supplier for Pakistan, shares Islamabad's fierce regional rivalry with India.

China already has helped Pakistan build a nuclear power plant at Chashma, about 125 miles (200 kilometers) southwest of the capital, Islamabad. Work on a second nuclear plant is in progress and is expected to be completed in 2011.

The Chashma III and Chashma IV reactors would provide Pakistan _ where chronic power shortages are contributing to a gathering economic crisis _ with an additional 680 megawatts of generating capacity, Qureshi said.

Qureshi did not say when they would be built or what assistance China would provide.

Nor did he discuss any measures to prevent nuclear materials from the new plants from being diverted to Pakistan's atomic weapons program.

Pakistan, which began operating its first nuclear power station with Canadian assistance in 1972, has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the main international agreement meant to stem the spread of nuclear weapons technology.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Thursday that China, which signed the NPT in the 1990s, was willing to continue its cooperation with Pakistan on nuclear programs _ provided they are peaceful, in line with its international commitments and supervised by the IAEA.

International sanctions were slapped on Pakistan after it detonated its first nuclear charges in 1998 in response to similar tests by India.

The sanctions were eased after Musharraf agreed to help Washington hunt down al-Qaida terrorists responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

But the revelation in 2004 that the architect of Islamabad's nuclear program, Abdul Qadeer Khan, had passed nuclear secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea set back Pakistan's hopes of becoming a trusted member of the world's nuclear club.

 

[Imran Khan]

they already win us.all waether friendship with chaina give us much more then uncle sam

 

[DarkStar]

I don't understand what is stopping Pakistan from approaching Russia for nuclear technology? There needs to be a paradigm shift in Pakistani foreign policy (It should have come right after the cold war, actually).

We must remember that Russia also built the only steel factory that we have, in Karachi, which is still providing us with steel, jobs and revenue.

Why have we ignored this powerful potential ally, now that India has been embraced by teh USA. There must be some Russian annoyance lingering, so it would seem like a good time for Pakistan to send some feelers to Russia, maybe culminating in a State visit in the future?

 

[p2prada]

I don't understand what is stopping Pakistan from approaching Russia for nuclear technology? There needs to be a paradigm shift in Pakistani foreign policy (It should have come right after the cold war, actually).

We must remember that Russia also built the only steel factory that we have, in Karachi, which is still providing us with steel, jobs and revenue.

Why have we ignored this powerful potential ally, now that India has been embraced by teh USA. There must be some Russian annoyance lingering, so it would seem like a good time for Pakistan to send some feelers to Russia, maybe culminating in a State visit in the future?

The russians have built 2 VVER 1000 reactors and are planning to build 4 more in kundakulum, tamil nadu. Our relationship with russia is not dead.

 

[p2prada]

We help the Indians, the Chinese help the Pakistani's and the Russians help the Iranians.

One big family, how sweet.

The chinese and the indians have also helped iran.

 

[DarkStar]

The russians have built 2 VVER 1000 reactors and are planning to build 4 more in kundakulum, tamil nadu. Our relationship with russia is not dead.

when did i say it is dead. Pakistan can have a relationship with Russia independant of India.

 

[Neo]

I don't understand what is stopping Pakistan from approaching Russia for nuclear technology? There needs to be a paradigm shift in Pakistani foreign policy (It should have come right after the cold war, actually).

We must remember that Russia also built the only steel factory that we have, in Karachi, which is still providing us with steel, jobs and revenue.

Why have we ignored this powerful potential ally, now that India has been embraced by teh USA. There must be some Russian annoyance lingering, so it would seem like a good time for Pakistan to send some feelers to Russia, maybe culminating in a State visit in the future?

Russians are more money minded than ever, now isn't the right time to approach them because we don't have much to offer. Other problem is Putin who's quite pro India. Although out of office he still pretty much runs the show.

To get Russia's attention the best thing we can do is to grow economically, once we 've big money to spend new markets will open.

 

[DarkStar]

yes, I agree with what you have said, but that shouldn't preclude the fact that we can initiate friendlier relations. Whatever strategic or economic benefits follow is for another time, but no reason why we should be at arms length from a re-emerging super power.

 

[Black Stone]

I thought you guys are already good friends? or is the title of this thread incorrect?.

 

[jeypore]

IWhy have we ignored this powerful potential ally, now that India has been embraced by teh USA. There must be some Russian annoyance lingering, so it would seem like a good time for Pakistan to send some feelers to Russia, maybe culminating in a State visit in the future?

Since, India has embrassed US, does not mean it still does not do business with Russia. India's beaf with Russia currently is in army's deal, where India has already paid the money and the delivery is not been made, and also where certain deals, Russia is asking for additional price increase, after the deal has been done. Other then defense issue bilateral trade with Russia is very health. So your comment of annoyance is from India not Russia.