US to renew demand for access to Dr Khan

[SpArK]

US to renew demand for access to Dr Khan​

“I intend to raise the question again of our repeated requests to have our people be able to interview Khan,” Cameron Munter, the Obama administration’s ambassador-designate for Pakistan, told his confirmation hearing on Thursday afternoon. - Photo by AP.





WASHINGTON: The US plans to renew a demand for direct access to Dr A.Q. Khan as Washington tries to prevent China from building two new nuclear reactors at Chashma, says a senior American diplomat.

“I intend to raise the question again of our repeated requests to have our people be able to interview Khan,” Cameron Munter, the Obama administration’s ambassador-designate for Pakistan, told his confirmation hearing on Thursday afternoon.

The US believes that Dr Khan ran a ring of nuclear proliferators and supplied nuclear technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea.

Diplomatic observers in Washington see America’s renewed interest in Dr Khan against the backdrop of China’s plan to build new reactors in Pakistan.

But in his testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Ambassador Munter acknowledged that it would be difficult to receive Pakistan’s permission to interrogate Dr Khan.

“This is a key area where, to be honest, I don’t think we’ve made a lot of progress with the Pakistanis,” he said.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer said earlier on Friday he believed the Pak-China nuclear deal might not get the approval of the 46-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group given Islamabad’s track record.

“I am not sure it will happen in Pakistan, given their track record. This is a very important issue in respect to China,” Ambassador Roemer told journalists in New Delhi.

“One of the fundamental important issues for the US is not only India’s flawless track record and high-trust but also the US efforts to try … to provide more inclusive growth to Indians,” he said.

A high-ranking US official said earlier this week that the NSG should consider the Chinese plan to build two reactors in Pakistan while a State Department official told Dawn on Wednesday he believed the move violated China’s commitment to the NSG.

Chinese officials argue that if US companies can sell reactors to India then China should also be allowed to fulfil its agreement with Pakistan, The Financial Times reported on Friday.

Both India and Pakistan have not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

“Not only has the US-India deal weakened Washington’s hand in opposing the Chinese sale to Pakistan, but the Obama administration would also not want a tough argument with Beijing to lead China to pull out of the NSG,” the Financial Times observed.

Experts say that China could export smaller 300MW reactors using technology that it currently controls. But if it wanted to sell Pakistan 600MW or 1GW reactors, it would need the consent of western companies that have licensed it key technologies.

At the Senate hearing, Senator Richard Lugar, the ranking Republican member of the committee and one of the authors of the $7.5 billion Kerry-Lugar-Berman bill for Pakistan, urged Ambassador Munter to renew US efforts to seek access to Dr Khan.

“My understanding is that he is free of house arrest now, still considered in heroic status in Pakistan,” the senator said.

“We’ve from time to time lamented the work of A.Q. Khan and his work with others, for that matter, to spread the technology of nuclear weapons and potential for difficulty in a host of countries,” the senator said.

“A very large part of the relationship that the United States has with Pakistan ... frequently comes down to non-proliferation, at least the inventory and control of weapons of mass destruction,” Mr Lugar said while questioning Ambassador Munter.

The question of Pakistan’s control over its nuclear inventory, he said, was important because of “the potential for this to create, not only violence for specific countries involved, but a spreading of this for others who wish defences and wish to have a more international regulation”.

“This is a question which is entirely speculative for the future, but one which I suspect that you’re prepared to attempt to work with the Pakistani government as all of the rest of the world comes to conferences such as we had in Washington this time on non-proliferation,” Mr Lugar said.



DAWN.COM | Front Page | US to renew demand for access to Dr Khan

 

[nomi007]

if our leaders give u killing license of fata people,Ahmad kansi,dr afia saddiqi than Dr aq khan is nothing

 

[somebozo]

Oh comeon, India's record is not that "flawless" however a shining example of abusing civilian help and accquiring nukes illegaly from Israel like apartheid South-Africa did.

Pakistan is ready to let america access A.Q Khan but what security assurances are we going to get in return?? A nuclear deal for civilian and energy assitance sounds right here!

And what about america's own record??

Former Los Alamos scientist indicted on nuclear charges
NUCLEAR ENERGY

Share this on:Mixx Facebook Twitter Digg delicious reddit MySpace StumbleUpon LinkedIn September 17, 2010|By Terry Frieden, CNN

A former Los Alamos National Laboratory nuclear scientist and his wife were indicted on charges of trying to provide nuclear secrets to Venezuela, but U.S. officials stressed the Venezuelan government knew nothing about the plans.

Former Los Alamos scientist indicted on nuclear charges - CNN

 

[Anonymous_Clown]

Oh comeon, India's record is not that "flawless" however a shining example of abusing civilian help and accquiring nukes illegaly from Israel like apartheid South-Africa did.

Pakistan is ready to let america access A.Q Khan but what security assurances are we going to get in return?? A nuclear deal for civilian and energy assitance sounds right here!

And what about america's own record??

You post is not 100% accurate. India did not acquire nukes from Israel. India did divert civilian tech to military use in the 70s, I will concede that.

Moreover, what they (and the world) is more concerned about is Pakistan's past tendency to act like a nuclear wal-mart and sell nukes to rogue states.

 

[ice_man]

You post is not 100% accurate. India did not acquire nukes from Israel. India did divert civilian tech to military use in the 70s, I will concede that.

Moreover, what they (and the world) is more concerned about is Pakistan's past tendency to act like a nuclear wal-mart and sell nukes to rogue states.

yes india reinvented the NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY RIGHT?? & YOU didn't get it off anyone? from the first bomb ever made people have stolen technology!


as for wal-mart! well the true wal-mart always has been the soviets! and everyone knows that everyone got the technology at the collapse of soviet union!

so before the world blames us they should feel guilty & think how did they acquire the technology themselves???

all MOSSAD CRIMINALS are heroes in israel! all hezbullah criminals are heroes in their countries! so yes all national heroes are hated by outsiders!

and for us A.Q.KHAN is a hero & will always remain so! & he is as integral as our national security & integrity!

 

[azfar]

US still believe that the old trick will work?

 

[Tuahaa]

A.Q Khan hasn't even been rewarded properly by us... the least we can do is not to give him out!

 

[somebozo]

A.Q Khan is not the lone master mind behind nuke program..nukes are not one man show..he however was the only team member who decided to go rouge which is a compromise of national intrests and security. He deserves a rightful punishment for that. If USA offers a tradeoff against AQ. Khan we must accecpt it in our wider intrest. Better nuclear tech is worth over a rouge metallgurist.

If India truly possed nukes, pokhran must not have been a single experiment. It was a hasted counter measure against Kissenger threats most likely provied by Israel / Soviet union.

India also diverted NASA civilian help into producing Agni rockets for millitary use.

American used defected Germen scientest for rocket and nuke science. The soviets used defected German engineers and scientestsd to launch their industrial base, aeronautics, missles and nuclear.

The Chinese recieved their first batch of nuclear design and scientest training from "friendly" soviet union.

So in essense Pakistan has not done any different than its neighbour. We diverted CANDU experience to millitary nuclear programme. We used rouge Polish scientest to launch our rocket program, illicit help accquired from N.Korea and designs provided by trusted ally china.

If India is entitled to missles and nukes from its "friend" Russia then we are entitled the same from our friends..Why moan and squeal like a prostitute all over it??

The Iranian nuclear programmed was launched with the help of Germany. Pakistan only provided some consultations in post revolution era in hope to better ties and re-balance the growing inclination towards India.

India maintains suspeciously close ties to most rouge / santioned nations. Saddam Hussies was a good ally, Soviet union was one as well, Israel-India remain close. Most og the rouge african regimes are closer to India and even the renegade Iranian regime is close to India. Something fishy is cooking deep in the pot!

 

[nForce]

yes india reinvented the NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY RIGHT?? & YOU didn't get it off anyone? from the first bomb ever made people have stolen technology!

No,India did not re-invent Nuclear technology.The idea was already present.What India did was a progressive development based on that idea.

as for wal-mart! well the true wal-mart always has been the soviets! and everyone knows that everyone got the technology at the collapse of soviet union!

Your argument may be true,may be not.But that simply does not act as an excuse for Pakistan.

so before the world blames us they should feel guilty & think how did they acquire the technology themselves???

all MOSSAD CRIMINALS are heroes in israel! all hezbullah criminals are heroes in their countries! so yes all national heroes are hated by outsiders!

and for us A.Q.KHAN is a hero & will always remain so! & he is as integral as our national security & integrity!

Of course you are free to consider him a hero,facts notwithstanding.It is justified for the other countries to go after his head as he did run Wal-Mart for Military Nuclear Technology.But then,it must be sad for fellow Pakistanis to see what the govt. of Pakistan had done to him.

 

[greatsequence]

Haha Musharaf is not incharge now. Even he did not had balls to handover AQ Khan to America. No chance now.

 

[WAQAS119]

US to renew demand for access to Dr Khan

lol, as if we will fall down under the pressure and abandon Nuclear Power Plant project with china!!!

These tactics are too old to be successful.........!!

 

[Anonymous_Clown]

A.Q Khan is not the lone master mind behind nuke program..nukes are not one man show..he however was the only team member who decided to go rouge which is a compromise of national intrests and security. He deserves a rightful punishment for that. If USA offers a tradeoff against AQ. Khan we must accecpt it in our wider intrest. Better nuclear tech is worth over a rouge metallgurist.

If India truly possed nukes, pokhran must not have been a single experiment. It was a hasted counter measure against Kissenger threats most likely provied by Israel / Soviet union.

India also diverted NASA civilian help into producing Agni rockets for millitary use.

American used defected Germen scientest for rocket and nuke science. The soviets used defected German engineers and scientestsd to launch their industrial base, aeronautics, missles and nuclear.

The Chinese recieved their first batch of nuclear design and scientest training from "friendly" soviet union.

So in essense Pakistan has not done any different than its neighbour. We diverted CANDU experience to millitary nuclear programme. We used rouge Polish scientest to launch our rocket program, illicit help accquired from N.Korea and designs provided by trusted ally china.

If India is entitled to missles and nukes from its "friend" Russia then we are entitled the same from our friends..Why moan and squeal like a prostitute all over it??

The Iranian nuclear programmed was launched with the help of Germany. Pakistan only provided some consultations in post revolution era in hope to better ties and re-balance the growing inclination towards India.

India maintains suspeciously close ties to most rouge / santioned nations. Saddam Hussies was a good ally, Soviet union was one as well, Israel-India remain close. Most og the rouge african regimes are closer to India and even the renegade Iranian regime is close to India. Something fishy is cooking deep in the pot!

Sorry, you're full of crap. You can speculate all you want about India's ties to 'rogue states', but the fact remains: no country, not even the Soviet Union, gave India access to Nuke tech. India diverted civilian tech for military purposes, that is accepted. But Pakistan (AQ Khan) has been proved to have provided nukes to rogue states, just to earn cash.

Keep speculating about 'fishy things cooking deep in the pot', but when Pakistan has already raised a stink by proliferating nuclear tech all over the place, there is no comparison. And that is the difference - obtaining nukes for oneself (India), and obtaining nukes for oneself AND passing it on to a whole lot of others (Pakistan).

Only a Pakistani will argue against this, and continue to shower adulation on the "Modern Day Einstein AQ Khan" (yes, I saw someone make this comment on Pak Tea House).

 

[Chanakyaa]

So in essense Pakistan has not done any different than its neighbour. We diverted CANDU experience to millitary nuclear programme. We used rouge Polish scientest to launch our rocket program, illicit help accquired from N.Korea and designs provided by trusted ally china.

INDIA did All for INDIA ONLY

AQ Khan Did it All for Pakistan as well as Iran,N.Korea,Libya etc..etc..

Cant You see the Difference ?

 

[RajmaChawal]

INDIA did All for INDIA ONLY

AQ Khan Did it All for Pakistan as well as Iran,N.Korea,Libya etc..etc..

Cant You see the Difference ?

YOU SAID IT

 

[somebozo]

For the ignorants, AQ Khan only supplied designs of obsolete generation nuclear centrifuge. His actions alone are impossible to contribute to nuclear weapons. The american hype is part of WOT propoganda and pressure tactics. The actual players in profilteration ring supplying sensitive parts and technology were european companies. AQ Khan is now being made sacrifical goat.