'China's help to Pak N-prog inconsistent with NSG commitments'

K J M Varma
Beijing, Mar 19 (PTI) China's assistance to build new
nuclear plants in Pakistan are "inconsistent" with its
commitments to Nuclear Suppliers Group, a top US official has
said.
Addressing the media after his meeting with Chinese
Foreign Ministry officials, US Assistant Secretary for South
and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake yesterday said China's
assistance in constructing two more reactors at Chashma
nuclear plant in Pakistan's Punjab province was "inconsistent"
with its commitments to Nuclear Suppliers Group.
"We expect China to abide by the commitments that it
made when it joined the Nuclear Suppliers Group in 2004, and
in particular we think the construction of new nuclear
reactors such as the Chashma 3 and 4 would be inconsistent
with those commitments. That remains our longstanding
position," he said answering a question.
US and other NSG countries say that China which
assisted Pakistan in building Chashma one and two reactors has
not notified its plans to build additional reactors when it
joined NSG in 2004, which according to rules of the apex
nuclear grouping was a mandatory requirement.
Besides two additional reactors, China last year also
announced plans to build mega one gigawatt nuclear reactor for
Pakistan.
For its part, China argues that its civil nuclear
cooperation with Pakistan was under the guidelines of the
International Atomic Energy Agency, which recently gave its
nod to Chashma three and four.
Blake said while questioning China's stand, US was in
the lead in many cases in trying to help Pakistan to deal with
its power crisis by refurbishing existing power generation
capacity as well as to "look at new ways" to help Islamabad to
meet its energy challenges.
"What I'd like to emphasize is that it's very
important that on the one hand China observe its NSG
obligations, but on the other hand, that the international
community do as much as possible to help Pakistan to meet its
energy needs. Again, I think we think there's a lot that can
be done in non-nuclear areas that help do that," he said.
He, however, said this issue has not figured in his
talks with Chinese officials during his present tour.
Blake was asked whether US would reconsider its
decision to have civil nuclear energy cooperation with India
in the aftermath of the radiation crisis from the damaged
Japanese nuclear plant.
"No. We remain very much committed to pursuing civil
nuclear cooperation with India. I think it's too early to try
to make any judgments about what kind of impact the disaster
in Japan is going to have on the civil nuclear industry
worldwide, but that obviously is one of the questions that
everybody will be looking at," he said.
Asked whether India expressed its concerns to US over
China's assistance to Pakistan to build more nuclear plants,
Blake said, "not beyond what we've already talked about which
is again, to hold Pakistan (sic) to its NSG commitments. I
think that's their principal concern as well.
"They (Indians) I think also understand that Pakistan
has severe energy needs and that this affects internal
stability and therefore it's important for all countries to
help Pakistan to meet its own energy needs to revive its
business and economy."
Blake said he had very productive and constructive
discussions with Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Cheng
Guoping and other officials in the Chinese Foreign Ministry.