China-Pak nuclear deal: US asks for Pak-China nuke arrangement details

Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
29,797
Likes
48,276
Country flag
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/us-wont-tolerate-chinapak-nuclear-deal/124521-2.html

US won't tolerate China-Pak nuclear deal

Washington: The United States has said it would oppose a possible nuclear deal between China and Pakistan, as that requires a specific exemption from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) like the US deal with India.

"This appears to extend beyond cooperation that was grand-fathered when China was approved for membership" state department spokesman P J Crowley told reporters on Tuesday when asked on what grounds it would oppose the deal when it had opened the door to such agreements with the US-India deal.

"We believe that such cooperation would require a specific exemption approved by consensus of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, as was done for India. So we're not looking at any difference between the two," he said adding the US had "asked China to clarify the details of its sale of additional nuclear reactors to Pakistan.

The US has served notice that it would object to the deal at a meeting next week of the 46-nation group that regulates nuclear trade and its rules forbid sales of nuclear technology to such countries that have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The NSG had made an exception in the case of India's deal with the United States and other countries with the US pushing hard for it on the basis of New Delhi's impeccable non-proliferation record. But Pakistan is unlikely to get the international support that India got because of Islamabad's dubious record of nuclear proliferation.

China has maintained that its agreement with Pakistan to supply two additional nuclear reactors pre-dates its joining the NSG in 2004 and therefore does not need its approval.

Asked if China had informed the US about the sale of two nuclear reactors to Pakistan, Crowley said: "This was an issue that we've had periodic discussions with China for some time."

The US media on Tuesday cited an unnamed US official as saying, "Additional nuclear cooperation with Pakistan beyond those specific projects that were grandfathered in 2004 would require consensus approval" by the NSG. Such an approval is "extremely unlikely," he addded.

Washington's clarification about the China-Pak nuke deal comes in the wake of concerns that the Obama administration would acquiesce to it to get Beijing's cooperation on issues like the Iranian and North Korean nuclear threats and currency revaluation.

But experts warned as early as May this year that "there is no real reason to think that the Administration's silence on the deal will bring more Chinese cooperation on other issues."

"Given the widespread proliferation that resulted from the Pakistan-based A. Q. Khan network-as well as continued concerns about the existence of terrorist networks in Pakistan that seek access to nuclear weapons technology-a nod from Washington to further Chinese-Pakistani nuclear cooperation is shortsighted," cautioned Lisa Curtis and Nicholas Hamisevicz of the Heritage Foundation.

"The argument that the China-Pakistan nuclear reactor deal should be seen in the same light as the US-India civil nuclear deal discounts the vastly different proliferation records of Pakistan and India, the different oversight requirements generally imposed by the US compared to China, and the prevalence of Pakistan-based terrorist groups seeking nuclear weapons technology," they added.
 

ajtr

Tihar Jail
Banned
Joined
Oct 2, 2009
Messages
12,038
Likes
723
USA cant' do anything about sino-pak nuke deal except for lip service.
 
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
29,797
Likes
48,276
Country flag
USA cant' do anything about sino-pak nuke deal except for lip service.
USA can do a lot China is part of the UNSC and a NPT signatory, they could restrict the NSG waiver China has and prevent others from doing nuclear trade with China. USA stopped Russian nuclear trade with Iran so the Chinese should be easier than that.
 

tarunraju

Sanathan Pepe
Mod
Joined
Sep 18, 2009
Messages
9,080
Likes
40,077
Country flag
USA cant' do anything about sino-pak nuke deal except for lip service.
Oh it can, two factors can push it:

1. It is Pakistan's principle source of foreign aid apart from obligatory aid for Pakistan's logistical support (this runs into tens of billions of dollars per annum)
2. India will choose with its wallet when passing tenders for nuclear reactors, and favour the Russians and French instead.

So there are some factors at play that will make US do more than just lip service.
 

nrj

Ambassador
Joined
Nov 16, 2009
Messages
9,658
Likes
3,911
Country flag
US is making PR statements that people favor but doing what its policy says. USA will oppose in the beginning but then will come up saying 'we reviewed it & made the necessary revisions so its okay now!' If US wanted to stop this proliferation, they would have done much in earlier itself. I don't expect anything out of this.
 
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
29,797
Likes
48,276
Country flag
US is making PR statements that people favor but doing what its policy says. USA will oppose in the beginning but then will come up saying 'we reviewed it & made the necessary revisions so its okay now!' If US wanted to stop this proliferation, they would have done much in earlier itself. I don't expect anything out of this.
It has reached a point where USA has to defend the NPT, this is one test; many more may come from Iran,Syria,Brazil,Argentina etc... If USA fails in this first test all the others will all succeed in their quest for nuclear technology.
 

nrj

Ambassador
Joined
Nov 16, 2009
Messages
9,658
Likes
3,911
Country flag
It has reached a point where USA has to defend the NPT, this is one test; many more may come from Iran,Syria,Brazil,Argentina etc... If USA fails in this first test all the others will all succeed in their quest for nuclear technology.
I just hope, instead of making life miserable for nations like India due to such deals, US administration proposes overall UN revision in NPT/CTBT. Making such individual exceptions, will benefit the dealing country but might harm others. Its high time to revise the UN rules on Nuke handling/deals/tests.
 
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
29,797
Likes
48,276
Country flag
I just hope, instead of making life miserable for nations like India due to such deals, US administration proposes overall UN revision in NPT/CTBT. Making such individual exceptions, will benefit the dealing country but might harm others. Its high time to revise the UN rules on Nuke handling/deals/tests.
When revisions are made mostly by the UNSC members they amount to nothing, there needs to be a broader framework, with many nations participating.
 

ajtr

Tihar Jail
Banned
Joined
Oct 2, 2009
Messages
12,038
Likes
723
well past experience with sino-pak nukes and regular usa flip-flopping dont present a rosy picture.Anything nuke between pak -china usa is willing or unwilling partner.
 

nrj

Ambassador
Joined
Nov 16, 2009
Messages
9,658
Likes
3,911
Country flag
When revisions are made mostly by the UNSC members they amount to nothing, there needs to be a broader framework, with many nations participating.
I don't think US is enough responsible/non-biased in fabricating this broader framework. UN has to step in for actions, UNSC shouldn't be decision making body in such case. It should involve maximum nations.
 
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
29,797
Likes
48,276
Country flag
well past experience with sino-pak nukes and regular usa flip-flopping dont present a rosy picture.Anything nuke between pak -china usa is willing or unwilling partner.
Then USA can also be claimed to be a partner in the Iranian nuclear program which has it's roots in the AQ khan network??
 

tarunraju

Sanathan Pepe
Mod
Joined
Sep 18, 2009
Messages
9,080
Likes
40,077
Country flag
well past experience with sino-pak nukes and regular usa flip-flopping dont present a rosy picture.Anything nuke between pak -china usa is willing or unwilling partner.
Yeah, because "in the past", Indian interests didn't stand between American companies and a $200 billion market.
 
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
29,797
Likes
48,276
Country flag
I don't think US is enough responsible/non-biased in fabricating this broader framework. UN has to step in for actions, UNSC shouldn't be decision making body in such case. It should involve maximum nations.
there are more nations on the verge of having nuclear technology, or having it and being a pariah.
Here is the list India,Pakistan,Iran,N. Korea,Israel, S. Africa,Libya,Brazil,Argentina,Belarus,Ukraine.
These nations have no say in what the 5 UNSC nations will decide in the revised framework. Most
of the time framework will be designed only with the interest of the 5 UNSC members in mind.
 

nrj

Ambassador
Joined
Nov 16, 2009
Messages
9,658
Likes
3,911
Country flag
there are more nations on the verge of having nuclear technology, or having it and being a pariah.
Here is the list India,Pakistan,Iran,N. Korea,Israel, S. Africa,Libya,Brazil,Argentina,Belarus,Ukraine.
These nations have no say in what the 5 UNSC nations will decide in the revised framework. Most
of the time framework will be designed only with the interest of the 5 UNSC members in mind.
That seems inevitable but it ain't fair. Such solution will suppress chaos for some time but won't create sustainable framework for inclusive distribution/development of Nuclear technology among all interested nations all over the world. Plus the UNSC bidding nations will also ask for right to have say in creating such framework.
 

Armand2REP

CHINI EXPERT
Senior Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2009
Messages
13,811
Likes
6,734
Country flag
USA can do a lot China is part of the UNSC and a NPT signatory, they could restrict the NSG waiver China has and prevent others from doing nuclear trade with China. USA stopped Russian nuclear trade with Iran so the Chinese should be easier than that.
The US doesn't want to ban nuclear trade with China, Chinese new NG reactor is American. France is building several reactors as well as Russia. There would be no support for such a measure of a little country like Pakistan. No one really cares that much.
 
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
29,797
Likes
48,276
Country flag
The US doesn't want to ban nuclear trade with China, Chinese new NG reactor is American. France is building several reactors as well as Russia. There would be no support for such a measure of a little country like Pakistan. No one really cares that much.
You are right I don't think Chinese value the relations as much as Pak thinks they do?? Especially when many things they do for Pak they are doing for free.
 

ajtr

Tihar Jail
Banned
Joined
Oct 2, 2009
Messages
12,038
Likes
723
India closely watching NSG meet on China-Pakistan n-deal

Tue, Jun 15 07:18 PM
New Delhi, June 15 (IANS) India will be closely watching the meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group next week where the China-Pakistan nuclear deal may come up for consideration even as Washington reminded Beijing of its non-nuclear proliferation obligations.

While New Delhi is confident that the China-Pakistan nuclear deal will not pass muster at the 45-nation NSG due to Islamabad's dubious proliferation record, there are apprehensions that Beijing will try to hard-sell it by using its growing global clout.

'We are not worried. Everyone knows about Pakistan's A.Q. Khan network's proliferation activities,' reliable sources said here.

'But it will be interesting to see what arguments are used to justify the deal,' the sources added.

China has confirmed that Chinese and Pakistani officials have signed an agreement to finance the construction of two nuclear reactors to be built by the China National Nuclear Corporation at the Chashma site in Pakistan. China earlier built two reactors for Pakistan before it joined the NSG in 2004.

The NSG forbids transfer of nuclear materials to the countries who have not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The NSG, however, made one-time exception for India in September 2008 by clearing the India-US nuclear deal in view of New Delhi's flawless non-proliferation record.

However, the US, a member of the NSG, appears set to object to a China-Pakistan civilian nuclear deal at the NSG's meeting in New Zealand next week.

State Department spokesman Gordon DuGuid said in Washington that the US government 'has reiterated to the Chinese government that the United States expects Beijing to cooperate with Pakistan in ways consistent with Chinese nonproliferation obligation'.

Pakistan has been consistently pressing the US to award it an India-like nuclear deal, but Washington has remained indifferent to these appeals. However, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hinted at the Pakistan-US strategic dialogue recently that Washington may consider a discussion on the subject.

China has been arguing that the deal was necessary to restore the nuclear balance in South Asia.

The deal will be without NSG concurrence and despite the many misgivings about Pakistan's track record, its linkages to terror and radical ideologies, C. Uday Bhaskar, director of think-tank National Maritime Foundation (NMF), told a conference here Monday.
 

ajtr

Tihar Jail
Banned
Joined
Oct 2, 2009
Messages
12,038
Likes
723
US State Department spokesperson Philip Crowley responding to a question by PTI's Lalit Jha on the deal between PR China and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the supply of CHASNUPP 3 & 4 nuclear reactors.

The US appears to be not buying the PR Chinese argument that the deal was grandfathered at the time PR China joined the NSG:

Philip J. Crowley
Assistant Secretary
Daily Press Briefing
Washington, DC
June 15, 2010 "¦"¦"¦"¦"¦"¦"¦"¦.

QUESTION:The China-Pakistan nuclear deal – we understand that the U.S. will oppose or plans to oppose that in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. I'm wondering, what are the arguments for opposing that? And secondly, how do you respond to those who say that the U.S. opened the door to this kind of agreement with the U.S.-India deal?

MR. CROWLEY: Well, we have asked China to clarify the details of its sale of additional nuclear reactors to Pakistan. This appears to extend beyond cooperation that was grandfathered when China was approved for membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. We believe that such cooperation would require a specific exemption approved by consensus of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, as was done for India. So we're not looking at any difference between the two.

QUESTION: And maybe China informed you about the sale of these two nuclear plants?

MR. CROWLEY: I think, Lalit, this was an issue that we've had periodic discussions with China for some time.

US State Dept
 

ajtr

Tihar Jail
Banned
Joined
Oct 2, 2009
Messages
12,038
Likes
723
NSG exemption mandatory for China-Pak nuke deal: US


WASHINGTON: The US appeared in a publicly 'non-opposing' mode over China's proposed civil nuclear deal with Pakistan, but insisted that Beijing needs an NSG exemption to go ahead with the agreement as was done in the case of the US-India atomic pact.

"If China wishes to proceed with this (nuclear deal with Pakistan), they are going to require an exemption from the Nuclear Suppliers Group," a senior State Department official told reporters.

Asked about US' stand on the issue, the official said, it had asked China to clarify the details of its second sale of additional reactors to Pakistan but stopped short of opposing it publicly.

"The NSG operates by consensus and we will have the opportunity to weigh in," he said.

The official was responding to questions as to why the United States is "not publicly opposing" the China-Pak nuclear deal, despite the fact that it has serious concerns over Pakistan's track record on nuclear proliferations.

"We have asked China to clarify the details of its second sale of additional nuclear reactors to Pakistan," State Department spokesperson P J Crowley told reporters at his daily news briefing yesterday.

This appears to extend beyond cooperation that was grandfathered when China was approved for membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, he said in response to a question.

"We believe that such cooperation would require a specific exemption approved by consensus of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, as was done for India. So we're not looking at any difference between the two," Crowley said.

The State Department spokesman said that the US has been taking up this issue with the Chinese periodically.

"I believe this was an issue that we've had, you know, periodic discussions with China for some time," he said.

The China-Pak nuclear deal is expected to come up before the 46-nation NSG meeting next week in New Zealand.

In a recent article, a prominent American nuclear expert said this would breach international protocol about the trade of nuclear equipment and material.

"The move would breach international protocol about the trade of nuclear equipment and material," Mark Hibbs, said in the latest issue in the June issue of the prestigious Foreign Policy magazine.

The Washington Post said China has suggested that the sale is grandfathered from before it joined the NSG in 2004, because it was completing work on two earlier reactors for Pakistan at the time. But US officials disagree on the issue.
 

rizwan78

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2009
Messages
303
Likes
122
Country flag
Pak-China N-coop to continue: FO
By: Kaswar Klasra | Published: June 18, 2010


ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Thursday strongly rejected concerns, if there were from any side, regarding Pak-China civil nuclear deal, saying that the cooperation between both the countries had been intact for many years and there was nothing secret about it.
"Pakistan-China civil nuclear cooperation is going on for years. Our cooperation is under the relevant IAEA safeguards. Therefore concerns, if any, are misplaced", said spokesperson of the Foreign Office during the weekly press briefing.
He said this while responding to a query, asking whether US was making concerted efforts to scuttle Pakistan - China nuclear cooperation and was pressurising China.
It is pertinent here that China, avoiding US pressure, has made it clear it will abide by the deal reiterating that civil nuclear cooperation with Pakistan is peaceful.
When asked if the upcoming Nuclear Supplier Group meeting could have any effect on the agreement related to Pak - China nuclear cooperation, the spokesperson remained tight-lipped and avoided to give any response.
Media reports emanating from India have suggested that India is keeping an eye on meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group to be held next week, where the China-Pakistan nuclear deal may come up for the consideration even as Washington had reminded Beijing of its obligations to stop the nuclear proliferation.
While, New Delhi is confident that the China-Pakistan nuclear deal will come under the spotlight, Pakistan keeps faith that the deal takes no exception to international laws and regulations.
 

Latest Replies

Global Defence

New threads

Articles

Top