After Left, BJP & UNPA, it’s Pak turn now
Pakistan has circulated a note to 60 IAEA members saying that giving India access to nuclear fuel would trigger an arms race in the sub continent.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHIL As the government frantically stepped up efforts to get IAEA and NSG members on board, rumblings from the non-proliferation lobby and countries opposing India���s civilian nuclear aspirations have started.
Pakistan has circulated a note to 60 IAEA members saying that giving India access to nuclear fuel would trigger an arms race in the sub continent. In spite of the dissent note, the government remained confident that the draft safeguards agreement would be approved by the IAEA board of governors on August 1.
Pakistan is clearly playing to the non-proliferation lobby, which has also been arguing that giving India access to uranium for its civilian reactors would free domestic supplies for the strategic programme.
Pakistan, which is home to the A Q Khan network that has a long and dubious proliferation record, said in a letter to 60 countries last week that the nuclear deal would hurt international non-proliferation efforts and ���threatens to increase the chances of a nuclear arms race in the sub-continent.���
Another issues raised by Pakistan in the letter is that the draft safeguard agreement does not list civilian reactors that would be placed under safeguards. ���What is the purpose of the agreement if the facilities to be safeguarded are not known,��� the note queried. The IAEA safeguards agreement leaves the choice of notifying the reactors up to India.
For the last two years, Pakistan, which has seen increased terror activity leading to international concerns about nuclear technology falling into the hands of terror element, has been seeking a similar deal from the US. However, the US, for obvious reasons, had turned down such a request.
Though officials here dismiss Pakistan���s efforts and are confident that the IAEA board of governors, of which Pakistan is a member, would give its approval for the India-specific safeguards agreement. The danger for India is that the note could spark off opposition from other countries which are strong supporters of the non-proliferation network and are uneasy about making an exception for India.
However, officials remained confident and said that there is enough support among the governors to get the safeguards agreement through. If there is no consensus among the board members then it will go for a vote. Normally safeguards agreements are passed by consensus. The last time the board voted was two years ago. New Delhi will also get an idea of how Pakistan���s note is playing out at the IAEA technical meeting to discuss the safeguards agreement on Friday in Vienna.
The US is also expected to push Pakistan to toe the line. US ambassador David C Mulford had said that the US would talk to Pakistan and had hoped that Islamabad would make the right choice.
Pakistan has circulated a note to 60 IAEA members saying that giving India access to nuclear fuel would trigger an arms race in the sub continent. In spite of the dissent note, the government remained confident that the draft safeguards agreement would be approved by the IAEA board of governors on August 1.
Pakistan is clearly playing to the non-proliferation lobby, which has also been arguing that giving India access to uranium for its civilian reactors would free domestic supplies for the strategic programme.
Pakistan, which is home to the A Q Khan network that has a long and dubious proliferation record, said in a letter to 60 countries last week that the nuclear deal would hurt international non-proliferation efforts and ���threatens to increase the chances of a nuclear arms race in the sub-continent.���
Another issues raised by Pakistan in the letter is that the draft safeguard agreement does not list civilian reactors that would be placed under safeguards. ���What is the purpose of the agreement if the facilities to be safeguarded are not known,��� the note queried. The IAEA safeguards agreement leaves the choice of notifying the reactors up to India.
For the last two years, Pakistan, which has seen increased terror activity leading to international concerns about nuclear technology falling into the hands of terror element, has been seeking a similar deal from the US. However, the US, for obvious reasons, had turned down such a request.
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Though officials here dismiss Pakistan���s efforts and are confident that the IAEA board of governors, of which Pakistan is a member, would give its approval for the India-specific safeguards agreement. The danger for India is that the note could spark off opposition from other countries which are strong supporters of the non-proliferation network and are uneasy about making an exception for India.
However, officials remained confident and said that there is enough support among the governors to get the safeguards agreement through. If there is no consensus among the board members then it will go for a vote. Normally safeguards agreements are passed by consensus. The last time the board voted was two years ago. New Delhi will also get an idea of how Pakistan���s note is playing out at the IAEA technical meeting to discuss the safeguards agreement on Friday in Vienna.
The US is also expected to push Pakistan to toe the line. US ambassador David C Mulford had said that the US would talk to Pakistan and had hoped that Islamabad would make the right choice.
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