US may offer India-like nuke deal to Pak!!!

[ajtr]

You gotta be kidding me

. Why will US & China will spend 100 billion dollars to get a nuclear deal for Pakistan when their own economies are in doldrums. US is already stingy in giving alms to Pakistan mostly in the range of less than 10 billion and now you are talking about 100 billion for Pakistan when many states in US are nearing bankruptcy due to lack of funds.

Reprocessing technology is on the cards. It will happen sooner than later. Have patience. But, I do remind you that we do have reprocessing rights.

BTW, you didn't spell out how will US & China will spend the money on France and Russia.

the simple case of spending money is to buy candies for them>>>>>>.jokes apart spending doesnt mean that they give had cash it can be as i said before in terms of spending on economic and defence co-operation.if india can woo rusia and france by buying nuke reactors,mirage deals etc as u said before cina and usa can also woo them with some bigger carrots than wat india can dangle to russia and france.that i meant to say.

 

[Daredevil]

the simple case of spending money is to buy candies for them>>>>>>.jokes apart spending doesnt mean that they give had cash it can be as i said before in terms of spending on economic and defence co-operation.if india can woo rusia and france by buying nuke reactors,mirage deals etc as u said before cina and usa can also woo them with some bigger carrots than wat india can dangle to russia and france.that i meant to say.

That's exactly what I'm asking, what carrots are US & China going to dangle. Elaborate.

 

[VayuSena1]

I do hope that the Americans know what they are doing. As a person of Government, I can tell you people that if this news is actually serious the Americans are looking at getting shunted out of a lot of future deals and would be virtually returning back to the Kissinger era. If they are sensible, these talks will just remain talks and would just cease at that with a sensible "no" from State Department. A US-Pak nuclear deal would be just write a lottery ticket for Russians when considering our dimension in the game. They would just re-gain Indian voice in their part of court.

While I don't believe that United States would be so foolish as to do something so disastrous, it is not uncommon for them to make diplomatic blunders that have cost them dearly in the past. I hope Obama knows what he is doing. The man never seemed to be president type right from the beginning.

 

[dineshchaturvedi]

Do not tell me you guys seriously think it is going to happen, you do not understand USA then. The just play with words, even if they have no intention of doing it they will still say, we will be discussing, thats all will happen believe me just discussion. All this discussion will do is bring more frustration for Pakistani's.

 

[DaRk WaVe]

Pakistan seeking nuclear deal with US​

The Irish Times - Tuesday, March 23, 2010

PAKISTAN WANTS the US to provide it with nuclear technology for a civilian energy programme and is to push the Obama administration this week for a deal.

Islamabad is seeking a civilian nuclear deal to mirror the package granted to India by George W Bush, a proposal that would prove contentious in Washington given Pakistan’s uneven record on combating extremist groups and its sale of nuclear technology to states hostile to the West, led by the former head of its programme, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan.

A spokesman for Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs said yesterday: “Pakistan is an energy-deficit country and we’re looking for all sources, including nuclear, to meet our requirements.”

A team led by Pakistan’s foreign minister that includes the army commander and spy chief is due to arrive in Washington tomorrow for meetings with their US counterparts, including secretary of state Hillary Clinton, in an effort to relaunch dialogue between the two allies. Afghanistan and help for Pakistan’s economy will also be on the agenda.

Experts believe Pakistan holds the key to stabilising Afghanistan and is trying to position itself as the sole conduit to talk to the Taliban.

The US meetings are designed to restart talks that were last held in 2008. Pakistan believes it has suffered from the violent fallout of the US-led intervention in Afghanistan and requires further assistance, despite a recent $7.5 billion (€5.5 billion) US aid injection.

* Pakistan wants to investigate Dr Khan on charges of transferring nuclear secrets to Iraq and Iran, a government lawyer said yesterday.

The petition by the Pakistani government for court permission to investigate the nuclear scientist was filed after the Washington Post reported that he had tried to help Iran and Iraq develop nuclear weapons. – (Guardian service; Reuters)

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2010/0323/1224266873873.html

 

[DaRk WaVe]

N-deal for Pak? US denies, India remains anxious​

ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI: The US on Monday denied it was considering offering Pakistan a civilian nuclear deal similar to the one it signed with India, refuting purported remarks of Anne Patterson, its ambassasdor to Pakistan, to the contrary.

"The US has not entered (into) negotiations on a civil nuclear agreement with Pakistan," a PTI report said, quoting the spokesperson of the US embassy in Islamabad.

The denial came even as ambassador Patterson's remark suggesting that the US was trying to establish parity between India and Pakistan on the nuclear energy issue triggered concern in New Delhi. Foreign minister S M Krishna reacted to Patterson's remarks by reminding the US of Pakistan's notorious proliferation record. A similar stand was taken by the principal Opposition, BJP, with Yashwant Sinha, chairman of the standing committee on external affairs, criticising any attempt to establish parity between India and "a rogue state like Pakistan with the worst proliferation record".

The apprehension of a shift in stand came from Patterson's interview to a Pakistani American magazine which quoted her as saying that the US and Pakistan would have "working-level talks" on civilian nuclear energy as part of the strategic dialogue between the two countries beginning Wednesday.

On Monday, however, the US spokesperson in Islamabad sought to rebut the perception of a policy shift. "The US is committed to helping Pakistan address its real and growing energy needs, and we look forward to cooperating with Pakistan in ways that are compatible with Pakistan'e economic, environmental and security needs and with the US' international commitments and policies," the spokesperson said.

In a swift response, foreign minister Krishna said, "I think, the US would always look into the track record of every country with which they are going for certain understanding or signing a treaty. I am sure the US will remember that the proliferation of nuclear weapons was because of certain indiscretions of certain countries and more particularly Pakistan and the clandestine activities which they carried on."

Congress party said it would only comment after official US announcement on the subject, but the BJP described reports as "disturbing". Yashwant Sinha, chairman of Parliament's standing committee on external affairs, said, "The US has established parity between a nuclear rogue and India at a time when they are accusing Iran of proliferation. It is perverse and brings back the hyphenation that was supposed to be over."

He further said that Patterson's remark seems to undercut the US's claim that the Indo-US nuclear deal was an exception which could not be extended to any other country, leave alone Pakistan, "the worst proliferator".
G Parthasarathy, former diplomat, said the US move was a "violation" of the July 18 agreement, because it was premised on US and India sharing commitment against terrorism and nuclear proliferation.

In her interview, Patterson appeared to be downplaying concerns over Pakistan's proliferation record. "Earlier on, non-proliferation concerns were quite severe. I think we are begining to pass those and this is a scenario that we are going to explore."

Officials said India would keep a close watch on the US-Pakistan strategic dialogue starting in Washington this week because of the assessment that the US is looking for more ways to "accommodate" Pakistani demands, to "do more" for them to incentivize them to act against terror groups in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Daniel Markey, senior fellow Council for Foreign Relations in Washington, said, "I think the Obama administration is trying to be responsive to Pakistan's requests as a means to demonstrate its commitment to bilateral partnership. But there is zero chance that Pakistan will get a nuclear deal of the sort that we have with India. They cannot get it through Congress or the NSG."

On a more realistic level, Pakistan has a small nuclear programme, with three reactors -- Chashma 1 & 2 and Khushab (all built with Chinese assistance). While they produce a small amount of power, they are also the source for Pakistan's uranium-based nuclear weapons programme. Incidentally, both are run by Pakistan's powerful military. So there cannot be a separation of civilian and military nuclear sectors in Pakistan.

Anupam Srivastava of University of Georgia said, "Pakistan has not completed the process of strengthening its export control systems following the A Q Khan scandal, nor has it provided access to A Q Khan. On the other hand, US has worked with Pakistan's Special Plans Division on programmes including personnel reliability programme to shore up security of nuclear weapons facilities." This is a reference to George Bush spending $100 million to train Pakistanis to make their nukes more secure -- the overriding concern being that they should not fall into the hands of terrorists or guarding against "leakage" by insiders of the system.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...India-remains-anxious/articleshow/5713789.cms

 

[DaRk WaVe]

Do not tell me you guys seriously think it is going to happen, you do not understand USA then. The just play with words, even if they have no intention of doing it they will still say, we will be discussing, thats all will happen believe me just discussion. All this discussion will do is bring more frustration for Pakistani's.

that can't happen don't worry, I still feel it will be like US will get Pak through NSG & we will be having a deal with France or China (remember sometime back we heard some news about Pak-France Deal, but nothing happened), To early to jump

“What we are interested in is looking at the long-term in the relationship between the US and Pakistan,” Mr Gates told journalists before his meeting with Gen Kayani.

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect...page/qureshi-kayani-meet-key-us-officials-330

 

[DaRk WaVe]

Pakistan pushes US for nuclear technology deal​

Pakistan wants the US to provide it with nuclear technology for a civilian energy programme and is to push the Obama administration this week for a deal.

Islamabad seeks a civilian nuclear deal to mirror the package granted to India by George Bush, a proposal that would prove contentious in Washington, given Pakistan's uneven record on combating extremist groups and its sale of nuclear technology to states hostile to the west, led by the former head of its programme, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan.

A spokesman for Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs, Abdul Basit, said today: "Pakistan is an energy-deficit country and we're looking for all sources, including nuclear, to meeting our requirements."

A team led by Pakistan's foreign minister that includes the country's army commander and spy chief is due to arrive in Washington on Wednesday for meetings with their US counterparts, including Hillary Clinton, the secretary of state, in an effort to relaunch dialogue between the two allies. Afghanistan and help for Pakistan's near-bankrupt economy will also be on the agenda.

Many experts believe Pakistan holds the key to stabilising Afghanistan and it is trying to position itself as a sole conduit to talk to the Taliban.

The US meetings, are designed to restart talks that were last held in 2008.

Pakistan believes it has suffered from the violent fallout of US-led intervention in neighbouring Afghanistan and requires further assistance, despite a recent $7.5bn (£5bn) US aid injection.

A civilian nuclear deal, which would provide technology and fuel for power plants, could be the carrot required for Pakistan to finally cut its ties to jihad groups. A variety of incentives since 2001, including military equipment and civilian aid, have not worked, say experts.

Christine Fair, an assistant professor at Georgetown University in Washington, said: "We need a big idea for Pakistan, to transform it from a source of insecurity for the region to a country committed to eliminating terrorism and ensuring that nuclear proliferation doesn't happen again.

"We're trying to get Pakistan to do things that are in our strategic interests but not in theirs."

Pakistan craves a nuclear deal because it aspires to parity with India, say analysts.

It bristles with indignation over the perceived special treatment accorded to India, which it believes has upset the regional balance of power in South Asia.

Prof Shaun Gregory, director of the Pakistan security research unit at Bradford University, said: "Through the deal, India became a de facto member of the nuclear club and Pakistan doesn't understand why it wasn't offered the same thing. Pakistan has to position itself as an equal to India."

While Pakistan and India used to be bracketed together, Pakistan is now lumped in with Afghanistan under "******", a diplomatic relegation, while India is lauded as a growing power.

Pakistan's past record of nuclear proliferation hangs over it, especially as its renegade scientist, Abdul Qadeer Khan, continues to make revelations about his secret arms sales. Khan was placed under house arrest in 2004 but has since been released.

David Albright, a former UN weapons inspector who is president of Institute for Science and International Security, an independent thinktank in Washington, said: "Pakistan has a chance (for a civil nuclear deal) but it has to overcome some pretty serious roads. If there was a trial of AQ Khan and he was jailed, that would help."
A US-Pakistan deal could take several years to hammer out. The US-India agreement has not been not finalised, more than five years after negotiations began.

Pakistan pushes US for nuclear technology deal | World news | guardian.co.uk

 

[Dark_Prince]

=============If a deal, even on paper is formalized (obviously to satisfy pakistani shattered ego), I would love to see how Obama explains it to citizens of US of A, implications of arming pakistan with US technology, and so called pakistani Nukes being not secure LOL (this is gonna be fun).
BTW Nuclear deal of any sort, does not lead to equality or any great achievement! Before fantasizing, do something about Economy, Bankruptcy and Extremism! iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

 

[DaRk WaVe]

=============If a deal, even on paper is formalized (obviously to satisfy pakistani shattered ego), I would love to see how Obama explains it to citizens of US of A, implications of arming pakistan with US technology, and so called pakistani Nukes being not secure LOL (this is gonna be fun).
BTW Nuclear deal of any sort, does not lead to equality or any great achievement! Before fantasizing, do something about Economy, Bankruptcy and Extremism! iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

you people still believe in that theory

I would love to see how Obama explains it to citizens of US of A

nuclear free world ROFL
anyways don't forget

A US-Pakistan deal could take several years to hammer out. The US-India agreement has not been not finalised, more than five years after negotiations began.

 

[Iamanidiot]

For a deal to work they need moolah.thats one thing our neighbours have in deficit .Other than that they everything in plenty

 

[ajtr]

That's exactly what I'm asking, what carrots are US & China going to dangle. Elaborate.

anything from nuke reactor to defence buy out to investment in their countries.china does buys nuke reactors from france and weapons from russia same way us-france trade is around 250 billion dollors.

 

[ajtr]

This news is not particularly related to this thread but i do see some connection.Suppose india signs NPT and Pakistan follows the suit then sure pak can be bestowed with nuke deal and india with reprocessing tech as being good boys of NPT club.

India to examine its NPT options ahead of nuclear summit

Ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the US to attend the Nuclear Security Summit, a two-day conference will start in New Delhi on Monday to debate India's options in view of the growing global pressure to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
The conference, organised by the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), a leading think tank, is being held ahead of the May review conference of the NPT.
Prominent nuclear experts and diplomats like Shyam Saran, former special envoy on nuclear deal, Lalit Mansingh, former foreign secretary, Anil Kakodkar, former chairman of Atomic Energy Commission, nuclear and strategic expert K. Subrahmanyam and Arundhati Ghose will participate in the conference.
The conference will explore issues and complexities surrounding the 2010 NPT review conference and examine India's policy option vis-a-vis the non-proliferation regime, said a concept note by the IDSA.
Manmohan Singh is among over 40 world leaders invited by US President Barack Obama to attend the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington that will focus on saving the world from the scourge of nuclear terrorism and give a push to efforts towards nuclear disarmament.
In view of the forthcoming NPT review conference and Obama's declared commitment to rid the world of all nuclear weapons, India may have to face US pressure to sign the NPT and the CTBT.
India has made it clear many a time recently that it remains opposed to the NPT and the CTBT in their present form as it regards these as discriminatory regimes that divide the world into the nuclear haves and have-nots.
New Delhi has, however, kept its options open vis-a-vis CTBT, saying if other countries - read US, China and Pakistan - go along, it will re-examine its stand.

 

[DaRk WaVe]

Qureshi & Kayani meet key US officials ​

WASHINGTON: The United States and Pakistan engaged in preparatory talks on Monday, ahead of a strategic dialogue which US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says will forge even closer ties between the two allies.

Meanwhile, Chief of the Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Kayani concluded his consultations with senior American military commanders in Florida on Monday morning and went straight to the Pentagon for talks with US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates.

General Kayani will also attend the opening ceremony of the talks between Secretary Clinton and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the State Department on Wednesday.

“What we are interested in is looking at the long-term in the relationship between the US and Pakistan,” Mr Gates told journalists before his meeting with Gen Kayani.

“How we can strengthen our relationship and how we can help Pakistan in dealing with the security challenges that face them but also face us and Nato as well.”

Mr Gates said that the US-Pakistan strategic dialogue, which begins on Wednesday, will enable the two sides to talk about the full range of their relationship.

In a message on the Pakistan Day, Secretary Clinton noted that the broad partnership between the US and Pakistan was based on “mutual respect and mutual interest” and the first ministerial-level strategic dialogue in Washington would be an “opportunity to forge even closer ties between our nations”.

The US, she said, was already supporting Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen “democratic institutions, foster economic development, expand opportunity, and defeat the extremist groups who threaten Pakistan, the region, and even our own country.

Also on Monday, Foreign Minister Qureshi, who heads the Pakistani delegation to the dialogue, met US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke.

The two reviewed the agenda for the dialogue and noted that both sides had a strong desire to further strengthen their relationship.

But The New York Times reported on Monday that a strong military presence in the talks indicated that Gen Kayani “will be the dominant Pakistani participant in important meetings in Washington this week”.

The US media also reported that just 48 hours before the dialogue, the Pakistani government filed a petition in a High Court seeking to investigate Dr A. Q. Khan over recent reports about his ties to Iran’s nuclear programme.

The move follows indications from Washington that it is open to discussions with Pakistan on the nuclear energy front at the strategic dialogue.

Quoting recent statements by senior US officials, the media reported that the talks were expected to help define the relationship between the United States and Pakistan as the war against the Taliban reached its endgame phase in Afghanistan.

DAWN.COM | Front Page | Qureshi & Kayani meet key US officials

 

[Sridhar]

‘US-Pak trust deficit extends beyond govt-level’

The United States and Pakistan will hold their first meeting of the upgraded strategic dialogue on March 24 in Washington.

In the words of Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, “The objective of strategic dialogue is to enhance people-to-people relationships, which can bridge the trust deficit”.

For Pakistan, the meet holds great significance as it seeks to develop an enduring framework for long-term ties with the US. The Pakistani delegation at the strategic dialogue would be led by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will head the US’ side.

In an exclusive interview with Kamna Arora of Zeenews.com, Daniel Markey, an expert on South Asia, discusses the objective of the upcoming US-Pakistan strategic dialogue.

Daniel Markey is Senior Fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations. He has also served on the State Department's Policy Planning Staff from 2003 to 2007.

Kamna: What does the US-Pakistan strategic dialogue, which is scheduled to take place on March 24, aim to achieve?

Daniel: The Pakistanis have been eager to promote a senior-level bilateral dialogue, as a tangible and symbolic demonstration of the importance of the US-Pakistan relationship. There have been a great number of US-Pakistan meetings over the past several years, so this is a formalisation and elevation of dialogues that are happening in other formats. I would also note that several of the (US President Barack) Obama administration's initial diplomatic interactions with Islamabad took place in a trilateral format (including Afghanistan), which I believe the Pakistanis felt as a sign of being diminished in Washington's eyes. While that was not in fact the case; these meetings can help to put that concern to rest.

Related Stories
‘Pakistan wants to get parity with India in N-terms’

Kamna: What all issues are expected to be discussed between the two sides?

Daniel: I'm not sure of the exact agenda items. Obviously the major issues – terrorism, regional stability (including Afghanistan), economic assistance and development – will all be covered, as well as, I would imagine, a tour of other issues of mutual interest, from issues before the UN to the Obama administration's plans for the nuclear summit.

Kamna: Will the dialogue help Pakistan reduce trust deficit with the US?

Daniel: It should be one part of that process. Routine interactions between senior officials are helpful. Obviously, the trust deficit extends beyond the government-government relationship, so more work will be needed. I believe that the combination of military and civilian leaders on both sides represents a very good step.

Kamna: Do you think Pakistan will take this opportunity to call for civil nuclear cooperation and reimbursement of war bills?

Daniel: I think that the Pakistani government is keen to find a way to escape from its unusual status in the global non-proliferation regime; and to the extent that the United States is a gatekeeper of that regime, Pakistan will seek its help. And yes, the Pakistanis are likely to discuss the coalition support funds used by the United States to reimburse for military operations related to the war in Afghanistan.
http://www.zeenews.com/zeeexclusive/2010-03-22/612720news.html

 

[Sridhar]

‘Pakistan wants to get parity with India in N-terms’


The strategic dialogue between the US and Pakistan on March 24 can be tagged as one of the much-awaited events of this year. Albeit experts are busy analysing whether the upgraded dialogue would prove to be fruitful, yet both sides are touting this meet as an intensification of ties.

The dialogue is seen as a chance for the US to restore trust with Pakistan. It will be led by foreign ministers of both the sides and attended by military, finance, energy, agriculture, and other officials.

In an exclusive interview with Kamna Arora of Zeenews.com, Moeed Yusuf, an expert on South Asian affairs, discusses the issues which would come up during the US-Pakistan strategic dialogue.

Moeed W Yusuf is the South Asia Adviser at the United States Institute of Peace and is responsible for managing the Institute’s Pakistan program.

Kamna: What do the US and Pakistan aim to achieve from the upcoming strategic dialogue?

Yusuf: The strategic dialogue, ironically enough, is a reflection of the realisation on both sides that their engagement to date has not been able to deliver satisfactorily. Especially for Pakistan, who has pushed for this dialogue, there was a growing sense that its concerns on the Afghanistan front were not addressed. Moreover, both the sides now see the end-game approaching and both have a serious interest in finding some common ground on managing Afghanistan. The dialogue will be an attempt to get this process started. Finally, Pakistan wants to expand the relationship (note the presence of Secretaries of Agriculture, IT etc) to ensure that the relationship moves beyond its current tactical focus.

However, there is nothing new that either side will be putting on the table. Therefore, let’s not expect that either will walk away with any tangible gains just yet.

Kamna: Keeping in mind that Pakistan’s Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani will also participate in the dialogue, is it right to say that only security issues will dominate the dialogue?

Yusuf: This is inevitable, as the War on Terror remains the central issue for both the sides. But as I have indicated above, this is precisely what the Pakistanis want to move away from. And therefore, despite the predominance of the security dialogue, you will see emphasis on broadening the economic relationship.

Also critical to note is the fact that there has been tremendous preparation for this dialogue in Pakistan, and the civilians and security establishment have forged a consensus position before departing. Pakistanis believe that they are in a position of strength, given their potential role in Afghan reconciliation.

Kamna: Will Pakistan use this dialogue as an opportunity to gain civil nuclear cooperation with the US?

Yusuf: Gain is not the right word. They will surely bring this up in a big way and push the US to change its stance on this issue. What Pakistan ultimately wants is to get parity with India in terms of a quasi-formal recognition of its NWS (Nuclear Weapon State) status. This will then ease the way for international cooperation on civil nuclear energy between Pakistan and many other countries like France, Russia etc.

Kamna: How will the dialogue affect Pak-US relations?

Yusuf: Ideally, both the sides will walk away having agreed on how to come to a minimal common understanding on Afghanistan and promised long-term commitment to each other. The latter is critical; the US’ success in the region depends, in no small part, on its ability to convince Pakistan that it will not abandon it. Only then can it expect Pakistanis to make a determined effort to ensure convergence of interests.
http://www.zeenews.com/news613453.html

 

[thakur_ritesh]

Khoda pahar, nikli cuhiya!

For the first time I stand in appreciation of our sensationalist media, especially the times group, a group otherwise I generally do not like to too much subscribe to.

They were the ones who first picked up this news on this side of the border once the news was out in the Pakistan media, which certainly had to be taken seriously since first richard holbrooke gave an inkling on nuke deal up for discussion which was keenly followed up by the US ambassador to Pakistan ms patterson to give some inciting news bites right before the strategic dialog between Pakistan-usa is to be initiated, to set a tone for the meet, and if things are being spoken by such higher up officials then all that is spoken need not be taken lightly by any stretch of imagination.

From the look of things the move seems to have been put on the back burner for now, and one was certainly not expecting the kind of response that came from new delhi with the MoEA SM Krishna officially reacting, and I am sure this was something the white house would have not expected as well, which forced the US to go on a denial mode, that said the deal will indeed be discussed, though even if it were to be done just for the sake of talks.

India plans to have electricity generated through the nuke plants to the tune of 35,000MW by 2020, a figure which is to take a huge upturn to (iirc) 80,000MW by 2030-35, to 120,000(+)MW by 2040-45 and by some estimates as high as 150,000MW by 2050 and in here lies the negotiation leverage that India will use to pressurize the US from not going ahead with a nuke deal they did with India.

All said and done, if this is what the democrats are thinking, who remain extremely sensitive to the whole talk of nukes, npt, ctbt, etc then rest assured once the republicans are around they would give a damn to all that and quickly cling on to such a deal with Pakistan, who have always been more pro-pakistan, but with democrats one thing is for sure and that is Pakistan will have to sign both the npt and possibly ctbt before the ball gets rolling, and that is precisely what Indian diplomacy is eyeing for and hinting at. I think the only real time when this deal can happen is within this decade because by the end of this decade a declining US in geopolitical terms would be more ready to listen to India whose economy would be between 4-5t usd by 2020, and I don’t have any doubts on Pakistan not getting this deal. It will happen since the US has always played a double sided game and there remains no room for a zero sum game on this side of the planet where at least for now both India and Pakistan provide some sort of a vantage point or the other that directly benefits the US and then Pakistan has the ace up their sleeves where they can blackmail on more prc tilt, something to which the US remains quite allergic, and possibly fearful.

It’s a game to be watched out for, let us see how much more resourceful and tactful has the Indian diplomacy become, and what kind of a leverage does it hold on white house. We have certainly not seen the end of this one!

 

[ajtr]

India plans to have electricity generated through the nuke plants to the tune of 35,000MW by 2020, a figure which is to take a huge upturn to (iirc) 80,000MW by 2030-35, to 120,000(+)MW by 2040-45 and by some estimates as high as 150,000MW by 2050 and in here lies the negotiation leverage that India will use to pressurize the US from not going ahead with a nuke deal they did with India.

so if we are setting up 1000 MW rectors it comes to huge 1500 to 937 reactors(if some are 1600MW).now where all india will set up these many reactors.Where the land will come from.Tatas had to move out of singur and haripur problems have started recently....

 

[thakur_ritesh]

so if we are setting up 1000 MW rectors it comes to huge 1500 to 937 reactors(if some are 1600MW).now where all india will set up these many reactors.Where the land will come from.Tatas had to move out of singur and haripur problems have started recently....

AJ,

i seriously cant answer that, for i do not have slighest of the clues nor do i have any sort of access to such information, but states are opening up to the prospects of having nuke plants in their territory, eg more recently punjab said a yes for the first time on having such plants and from the looks of it himachal as well looks interested in having such plants. from the question you raised i was wondering how much of space would one such plant be covering, i think if that can be answered then we might have an answer on where the land will come from since if SEZs can happen though there remains resistance on ground but in here the space occupied would be much less even if we were to have 10-20such plants together.

 

[ajtr]

alright ritesh i think that deserves a separate thread....in the meanwhile......

U.S. Sees Hope in Pakistan Requests for Help

In Document, Islamabad Seeks Military and Civil Aid from Washington; Perceived as Exchange for Crackdown on Taliban
By MATTHEW ROSENBERG And PETER SPIEGEL

Pakistan sent a 56-page document to the U.S. ahead of strategic talks scheduled for Wednesday, seeking expanded military and economic aid in what some American officials believe is an implicit offer to crack down in return on the Afghan Taliban.

The previously undisclosed document includes requests ranging from U.S. help to alleviate Pakistan's chronic water and power shortages to pleas for surveillance aircraft and support in developing the country's civilian nuclear program.

U.S. officials say the document and the talks surrounding it could help redefine one of America's thorniest foreign-policy relationships, if it leads to a serious Pakistani clampdown on the Taliban.

The Taliban uses Pakistan, a U.S. ally, as its rear base in its fight against American and allied forces in neighboring Afghanistan, and has often relied on clandestine support from elements of Pakistan's national security establishment. But in the past few months, Pakistan has rounded up several senior leaders of the Afghan Taliban on its soil, and last year it began a series of offensives against the Pakistan offshoot of the Afghan movement.

U.S. officials are keen to see those moves broadened as a key to shifting the momentum of the Afghan war. "Right now, we're looking at something that could deliver a big part of our success in Afghanistan," said a senior U.S. military official, speaking of the document and talks.

The document outlines a range of aid Pakistan is seeking from the U.S., say American and Pakistani officials who have seen it or been briefed on its contents. A high-level meeting between senior Pakistani and U.S. officials in Washington on Wednesday aims to stitch together their fraying alliance.

Many of Pakistan's requests build on longstanding demands for more U.S. assistance. But officials on both sides say that by detailing them in a single comprehensive document, Islamabad is trying to signal its willingness to align its interests with those of Washington, its vision for a partnership—and its price.

Among the requests is greater cooperation between its spy agency and U.S. intelligence outfits, more helicopter gunships and other military hardware needed to battle its own Taliban insurgency, and improved surveillance technology, such as pilotless drone aircraft.

Pakistan also wants a civilian nuclear energy cooperation deal with the U.S., and a role in any future peace talks between the Western-backed Afghan government and the Taliban.

Many U.S. officials remain wary of such deals with Pakistan. Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S., Pakistan has received more than $17.5 billion in U.S. aid, the majority earmarked for the military and security, while insisting it was doing all it could to combat the Taliban and its Islamist allies.

U.S. officials have complained that Pakistan's intelligence services continued to offer clandestine support for the Taliban, which it has long viewed as a proxy it could use to secure its influence in Afghanistan and keep archrival India out after an eventual U.S. withdrawal.

"Everything with the Pakistanis is two steps forward and one step back," said a senior U.S. military official involved in talks with the Pakistanis. "Anybody who expects straight linear progress out of a strategic dialogue between these two nations is really kind of naïve. What it will be is a step forward and then we'll see where they go with it."

Pakistan's fears of being outflanked by India, which has forged close ties to the Afghan government, are reflected in the document's indirect language about regional security issues, Pakistani officials say. The document raises concerns about India's effort to modernize its military, in part through buying U.S. equipment and weapons. It urges Washington to take a direct role in reviving the peace process between India and Pakistan, which stalled after the November 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai.

If officials this week can begin setting the U.S. relationship with Pakistan on a footing of greater trust and military cooperation, it would mark a success for the Obama administration's foreign policy at a time when key relations with other nations, from ally Israel to nemesis Iran, are strained.

In response to the document, officials say the Pentagon is considering up to $500 million in additional military aid to Pakistan, paid through the Coalition Support Fund, an account used to reimburse Pakistan for military activities taken in support of U.S. operations in Afghanistan. Last year, the U.S. provided $2.8 billion in economic and security aid to Islamabad.

A spokesman for Pakistan's military, Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, confirmed the document's existence and the military's input, but he declined to discuss its contents. Aides to Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Pentagon's primary interlocutor with Pakistan's military leadership, confirmed his staff had received the document and were analyzing it.

Michael Hammer, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said the White House looked forward to this week's talks, but would not comment on any specific proposals made during meetings between "scores" of senior U.S. officials and Pakistani counterparts over the last year.

"During the course of those discussions, a considerable number of ideas, initiatives, and opportunities have been brought up by both sides," Mr. Hammer said. "We are not prepared to comment on any one set of ideas other than to say that we are encouraged by an open and robust dialogue."

The document comes out of months of delicate and often secret negotiations between top political and military officials from both countries., to continue Wednesday at a so-called Strategic Dialogue in Washington. The meeting is to cover issues from the fight against Islamist militants to bolstering Pakistan's struggling economy.Among officials slated to attend are Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, the head of Pakistan's army.

"Pakistan and the United States have been partners and allies without always having a complete understanding of each other's strategic and security priorities," said Pakistan's ambassador in Washington, Husain Haqqani, in a telephone interview. "This time we want to build an understanding that can serve as a foundation for the day-to-day relationship."

It remains unclear what has fueled Pakistan's recent apparent shift on the Taliban. Some Western officials believe recent coalition gains in Afghanistan have prompted the Pakistanis to hedge in a new direction. Afghan officials and other Western officials say the Pakistanis may be trying to take control of nascent Taliban peace efforts by detaining the most pragmatic insurgent leaders.

The senior U.S. military official involved in recent talks with Pakistani officials , including Gen. Kayani,said the new seriousness in Pakistan's approach seems to be part of a realization that the U.S. has a limited time frame for directly assisting Islamabad. The official said Gen. Kayani in recent talks has focused on getting U.S. assistance to efforts that the Afghan and Pakistani governments can sustain as U.S. forces and investment in Afghanistan wane.

Some of Pakistan's requests are likely non-starters. India has steadfastly refused any outside mediation in its decades-long dispute with Pakistan. And U.S. officials say a civilian nuclear deal would be a tough sell given Pakistan's history of nuclear weapons proliferation.

To assuage the Pakistanis, the State Department has suggested setting up a bilateral working group to discuss the issue, in essence pushing a decision into the distant future. But U.S. officials, especially in those in the Pentagon, are eager to encourage Pakistan's re-engagement after nearly two years of growing tension between the allies,and say many of the other requests may be doable.

The U.S. may, for example, be willing to give Pakistan drone aircraft, although not the high-end, armed Predator and Reaper drones that have been used by the Central Intelligence Agency to kill hundreds of militants in Pakistan's tribal areas, according to a U.S. official.

The official said Pakistan already gets a few hours a week of surveillance time on those drones, and they're often "not looking at the same targets we'd necessarily want to be looking at."

"We want the U.S. to recognize Pakistan's nuclear status and give us assurances not to undermine the (weapons) program," said a senior Pakistani military officer who serves as an aide to Gen. Kayani. "Energy security is crucial, and we need U.S. help."

Among the proposals the Pentagon is considering is asking Pakistan to allow the U.S. to support expanded Pakistani counterterrorism efforts within their country. Currently, about 150 U.S. Special Operations forces are in Pakistan training the Pakistani military in counterinsurgency tactics. In addition, the U.S. may press the Pakistani government to end what they view as a negative information campaign against the U.S. by elements of Pakistan's powerful intelligence agency, the Inter-Service Intelligence directorate.

—Tom Wright and Zahid Hussain in Islamabad and Jay Solomon in Washington contributed to this article.