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Nuclear Exporters Should Take up China-Pakistan Reactor Deal, U.S. Urges
A high-ranking U.S. official yesterday said a multinational nuclear export control group should consider a plan by China to build another two atomic energy reactors in nuclear-armed Pakistan, Reuters reported (see GSN, Sept. 22).
The Chinese Foreign Ministry this week confirmed reports of a project by the state-controlled China National Nuclear Corp. to construct two 300-megawatt reactors at Pakistan's Chashma nuclear site. Beijing has already built two reactors in the South Asian state and is rumored to be in talks for a fifth plant.
"We look to engage with China on these particular issues... my focus is to use the framework of the mechanisms that we have in the Nuclear Suppliers Group." National Nuclear Security Administration chief Thomas D'Agostino said while attending the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference in Vienna, Austria. "We are going to use the Nuclear Suppliers Group to the best of our abilities and use all of the tools that we have in that forum to address specific nuclear arrangements that are made, whether it is with China, Pakistan or a variety of other countries."
The United States has argued the Pakistan-China deal would require a waiver from the 46-member group, which seeks to restrict atomic exports to countries that have signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Islamabad has not signed the pact.
While negotiating a landmark atomic trade deal with India -- another nuclear-armed nation that has not joined the nuclear accord -- the Bush administration sought and won a special exemption from the group. During the negotiations, China was among a group of nations to criticize the deal before ultimately granting the waiver.
The atomic energy deal has been a source of concern for observers because of Pakistan's history as a nuclear proliferator, mounting instability within the country and worries the agreement would undermine the nonproliferation regime.
Beijing said Tuesday it had asked the International Atomic Energy Agency to "exercise safeguards and oversight of this project." An informed diplomat, however, indicated it was up to the Islamabad and not Beijing to invite the nuclear watchdog to monitor the work.
"I believe in the end that all reactors involved in civil uses should be under IAEA safeguards," D'Agostino said (Dahl/Westall, Reuters, Sept. 22).
Pakistani Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Ansar Parvez said yesterday IAEA officials should not pick and choose which member states receive agency help in the building of atomic power capabilities, Dawn reported.
He said Pakistan had more than four decades experience operating nuclear reactors safely and had the technical and engineering resources needed to continue to operate atomic plants. Parvez also touted Islamabad's membership in several multilateral conventions as well as its security and safety capabilities (Amin Ahmed, Dawn, Sept. 23).
Meanwhile, D'Agostino said yesterday that nations such as Jordan had the right to enrich their domestic uranium resources, Bloomberg reported (see GSN, June 29).
"We believe quite strongly that nations have the right to develop their civil programs for civil purposes," D'Agostino said in response to a question about Jordan's nuclear development.
"We are not trying to tell other nations that you can't have enrichment," the U.S. official said.
Obama administration officials had been reported to be pressuring Amman to relinquish its NPT-guaranteed right of domestic uranium enrichment in order to win a nuclear civilian collaboration deal from the United States.
Washington has been wary of more countries in the Middle East gaining mastery of the full nuclear fuel cycle, which could allow a country to independently develop nuclear weapons material in addition to producing civilian atomic energy (Tirone/Razzouk, Bloomberg, Sept. 22).
The Chinese Foreign Ministry this week confirmed reports of a project by the state-controlled China National Nuclear Corp. to construct two 300-megawatt reactors at Pakistan's Chashma nuclear site. Beijing has already built two reactors in the South Asian state and is rumored to be in talks for a fifth plant.
"We look to engage with China on these particular issues... my focus is to use the framework of the mechanisms that we have in the Nuclear Suppliers Group." National Nuclear Security Administration chief Thomas D'Agostino said while attending the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference in Vienna, Austria. "We are going to use the Nuclear Suppliers Group to the best of our abilities and use all of the tools that we have in that forum to address specific nuclear arrangements that are made, whether it is with China, Pakistan or a variety of other countries."
The United States has argued the Pakistan-China deal would require a waiver from the 46-member group, which seeks to restrict atomic exports to countries that have signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Islamabad has not signed the pact.
While negotiating a landmark atomic trade deal with India -- another nuclear-armed nation that has not joined the nuclear accord -- the Bush administration sought and won a special exemption from the group. During the negotiations, China was among a group of nations to criticize the deal before ultimately granting the waiver.
The atomic energy deal has been a source of concern for observers because of Pakistan's history as a nuclear proliferator, mounting instability within the country and worries the agreement would undermine the nonproliferation regime.
Beijing said Tuesday it had asked the International Atomic Energy Agency to "exercise safeguards and oversight of this project." An informed diplomat, however, indicated it was up to the Islamabad and not Beijing to invite the nuclear watchdog to monitor the work.
"I believe in the end that all reactors involved in civil uses should be under IAEA safeguards," D'Agostino said (Dahl/Westall, Reuters, Sept. 22).
Pakistani Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Ansar Parvez said yesterday IAEA officials should not pick and choose which member states receive agency help in the building of atomic power capabilities, Dawn reported.
He said Pakistan had more than four decades experience operating nuclear reactors safely and had the technical and engineering resources needed to continue to operate atomic plants. Parvez also touted Islamabad's membership in several multilateral conventions as well as its security and safety capabilities (Amin Ahmed, Dawn, Sept. 23).
Meanwhile, D'Agostino said yesterday that nations such as Jordan had the right to enrich their domestic uranium resources, Bloomberg reported (see GSN, June 29).
"We believe quite strongly that nations have the right to develop their civil programs for civil purposes," D'Agostino said in response to a question about Jordan's nuclear development.
"We are not trying to tell other nations that you can't have enrichment," the U.S. official said.
Obama administration officials had been reported to be pressuring Amman to relinquish its NPT-guaranteed right of domestic uranium enrichment in order to win a nuclear civilian collaboration deal from the United States.
Washington has been wary of more countries in the Middle East gaining mastery of the full nuclear fuel cycle, which could allow a country to independently develop nuclear weapons material in addition to producing civilian atomic energy (Tirone/Razzouk, Bloomberg, Sept. 22).
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