Reports of nuclear talks precede Army chief’s visit

[Devil Soul]

Reports of nuclear talks precede Army chief’s visit
ANWAR IQBAL — UPDATED 9 MINUTES AGO
And
WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s nuclear programme is once again the focus of discussions in the US capital as Army Chief Raheel Sharif prepares to visit Washington next week.

Reports in the US media, and by think tanks, however, suggest that both sides have already taken clear positions on this issue.

The Americans want Pakistan to stop making tactical weapons, halt the development of long-range missiles and sign the nuclear test ban treaty.

Pakistanis link their nuclear programme to the security threat they face from India, want the Americans to sign a civil nuclear deal with Islamabad and help it join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

But a senior US official told Dawn and some Pakistani media outlets in Washington that the United States was neither negotiating a civil nuclear deal with Pakistan nor seeking an international waiver.

Reports of “extensive nuclear talks” between Pakistan and the United States had also preceded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit to the White House last month. And a joint statement issued after Mr Sharif’s meeting with President Barack Obama confirmed that they did discuss this issue.

The US official, who spoke to the Pakistani media, said that Washington had concerns about Pakistan’s nuclear programme and those concerns were not new.

But he made it clear that the United States was not discussing a civil nuclear deal with Pakistan, like the one it signed with India.

“The United States is not engaged in any dialogue on a civil nuclear agreement with Pakistan. Nor are we seeking an exception for Pakistan within the NSG to facilitate civil nuclear exports,” he said.

The United States did get such a waiver for India, enabling it to join the NSG.

Asked to elaborate US concerns about Pakistan’s nuclear programme, the US official said the United States urged all nuclear capable states, including Pakistan, to exercise restraint regarding nuclear weapons and their missile capabilities.

“We have ongoing dialogues where we encourage efforts to strengthen safety and security measures on Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme. And these dialogues are very important,” he said.



Pakistan should be able to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group without having to halt its tactical weapons’ production.
AgreeDisagree
VoteView Results



Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2015

 

[simple Brain]

I literary wish that Army Chief should halt this visit for a now, there is something that doesn't just seems right.

 

[GR!FF!N]

The Americans want Pakistan to stop making tactical weapons, halt the development of long-range missiles and sign the nuclear test ban treaty.

Is this it or there are more "Hidden Demands" which might ultimately compromise their Defense posture??

this whole thing is kind of "Fishy".People think that Pakistan's rhetoric regarding tactical nuke is kind of "Blackmailing towards USA" to offer them a "Civilian Nuclear Deal".But I think its USA who is blackmailing Pakistan since 2005 over this issue and pressuring them to "Compromise" over this issue.

Time will tell.But why Pakistan even bother to comply?They're getting what they wanted from China,right?

 

[Thəorətic Muslim]

Is this it or there are more "Hidden Demands" which might ultimately compromise their Defense posture??

this whole thing is kind of "Fishy".People think that Pakistan's rhetoric regarding tactical nuke is kind of "Blackmailing towards USA" to offer them a "Civilian Nuclear Deal".But I think its USA who is blackmailing Pakistan since 2005 over this issue and pressuring them to "Compromise" over this issue.

Time will tell.But why Pakistan even bother to comply?They're getting what they wanted from China,right?

Forget the hidden demands, Pakistani idiots will spin this on how the US considers Pakistan and India as "equals".

There's no blackmail here, just good olde negotiations and diplomacy.