Pakistan urged to cooperate more with IAEA

Pakistan urged to cooperate more with IAEA
By Qudssia Akhlaque
Dawn, November 2, 2006

ISLAMABAD, Nov 1: Belgium, a key member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), has advised Pakistan to ‘cooperate more’ with the IAEA, hinting that it could facilitate access to civilian nuclear technology.

This suggestion was made by the visiting Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht during a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Kasuri here on Wednesday.

Later, addressing a joint press conference both the ministers confirmed that during their talks the key question of civilian nuclear cooperation was discussed and they had stated their respective positions.

Foreign Minister Gucht was, however, non-committal on the question of whether Belgium acknowledged Pakistan’s right to civilian nuclear technology and supported its call for the NSG to pursue a criteria-based approach for civilian nuclear trade.

Mr Gucht stated that he had discussed “Pakistan’s nuclear profile” with Mr Kasuri and in what was interpreted as a reference to the IAEA additional protocol with non-NPT states, he said: “I expressed the opinion that it will be very important that Pakistan comes back to the International Atomic Energy Agency and come to a regime whereby their civil nuclear plants will be duly inspected by the agency. I think it is very important that you will have the situation regularised.”

He said: “I am not making any comparisons with the other countries but I think it is very important also to stop nuclear proliferation. That all countries which possess nuclear technology are working together within the International Atomic Energy Agency.”

At this point Mr Kasuri intervened to say that he had explained at length to his Belgian counterpart Pakistan’s position that the rationale behind denying civilian nuclear technology would be understandable for countries that did not possess nuclear weapons but Pakistan was already a declared nuclear power and had the capacity to deliver nuclear weapons.

Mr Kasuri said he informed Mr Gucht that Pakistan’s economy was growing at a phenomenal pace with its gas reserves running out and it was looking desperately for various energy sources including civilian nuclear technology.

KASHMIR: Mr Gucht held out the assurance that he and the Belgian prime minister during their visit to India would discuss the Kashmir issue.

AFGHANISTAN: Mr Gucht said the situation in Afghanistan remained an issue of concern for Belgium, which had troops there, as well as for Pakistan and the whole of international community.

Asked how confident he was of victory in Afghanistan, he replied: “We are not thinking in terms of a victory, we are there to help the Afghan people and we would like to see Afghanistan flourishing and we ought to contribute to the whole recovery effort that is absolutely necessary.”