Pakistan should persuade world to sign nuclear deals

[Kumar]

I don't think Pakistan would have been more successful at raising the issue earlier because the AQ Khan issue had been raised at that time, and Pakistan had nowhere near the checks and balances on its nuclear trade and WMD Command and Control infrastructure that it does currently.

Nor did we have a 'democratically elected government'. Both those issues have been resolved at this point, the AQ Khan network in Pakistan has been busted, he has been under home arrest and isolated to a large degree, and that allows for raising the demand for 'equal treatment' based on effective measures undertaken to resolve almost all outstanding issues and concerns.

One must also remember that the reason the India US nuclear deal has gotten through is primarily because the US ramrodded it through since it wanted to develop a strategic relationship with India, not because India necessarily had a more stellar resume (other than a lot more money to spend on trade) than Pakistan.

That strategic relationship was not offered to Pakistan, and without that 'drive and motivation' from the US, India would likely not have gotten this deal either.

As IC said, the fact that such a demand has nothign to do with 'me too', but rather Pakistan's own energy needs and a demand for equal treatment has been illustrated several times. One only needs to look at Pakistan's current energy requirements, existing civilian nuclear program, and the nuclear energy plans outlined by both the Mushrraf regime and the current GoP.

Whether raising the issue has any effect or not shouldn't govern the GoP's decision to voice its just demand for fair and equal treatment. The US can keep denying it, but given that evidence has also surfaced around India's own proliferation per David Albright, I would say that the US arguments based on "India's proliferation record' are weak, and Pakistan should continue to push its case if only to underscore the double standards.

I dont think AQ khan issue is resolved.
Still US is asking for its access to AQ Khan.
Unless you provide AQ Khan to US it wont be resolved

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

I dont think AQ khan issue is resolved.
Still US is asking for its access to AQ Khan.
Unless you provide AQ Khan to US it wont be resolved

It may not be resolved for the US, but then the US can ask for the moon and claim it isn't resolved either.

The issue is resolved in that the network has been dismantled and his close associates have also been arrested and isolated along with him. The offer to continue to interrogate him via Pakistani officials (with regards to any questions the US wants answered) is open.

Beyond that it would be the height of stupidity to expect someone so heavily involved in Pakistan's strategic program and aware of so much classified information be 'handed over' to another nation, especially one that is distrusted so much. No nation on earth, including the US, that does not even want its soldiers tried by international courts, let alone top scientists and officials, woudl agree to such a demand.

Khan will die eventually, and with him all his secrets (if there are any left). The 'issue' is a non-starter, and the US knows it.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Threads merged.

 

[pkpatriotic]

From the day it was visualised the US nuclear deal promised to be India-specific. Now that the Bush administration has said no, it is highly unlikely that any other western nation will be willing to help Islamabad out, given the stigma that has come to surround Pakistan’s nuclear programme in the wake of the A.Q. Khan scandal — not to mention western fears, even if baseless, of terrorists managing to get hold of our nuclear assets. The two American VP hopefuls’ recent statements, even if they amount to nothing more than electoral rhetoric, give a fairly good idea of the task before Pakistan in seeking other nations’ nuclear cooperation. This leaves us with only one friend — China.

Unfortunately, this government has followed a policy towards China that appears marked by lack of clarity, considering that country’s relationship with Pakistan and its fast-rising status as an economic superpower. Both President Asif Ali Zardari and the prime minister have not visited Beijing for state visits. The prime minister did go to China but only for the opening of the Olympics Games. At the same time he has met President Bush twice, and visited Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Egypt. Similarly, after getting elected president, Zardari went to Britain and America despite promising that his first official visit would take him to Beijing. The only country that can stand up to the world and has the know-how to supply new reactors to Pakistan is China. It was the only country in the nuclear suppliers’ group that annoyed India by indirectly pleading Islamabad’s case for a similar deal. Where nuclear energy is concerned, it is time to stop pleading with the West and look elsewhere.
Excerpted infos by a news published in Dawn

 

[Goodperson]

Nuclear deal only required by nations who have not signed NPT. Check this map for countries in in Red

I think thread Title should be changed from world to "Non NPT Signatories" and there are few of these in Red.