Pakistan seeks civilian nuclear deals
Updated
Pakistani prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has called for a similar nuclear deal to be struck with the United States, in the wake of India's new deals with the US and France last week. India's civilian nuclear pact with the US - which got a green light from Congress last week - had been expected to be signed at the weekend, when Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in New Delhi. It now appears both sides are still negotiating the fine details.
In the meantime, Mr Gilani says Pakistan will now push for its own agreements on civilian nuclear cooperation. He is arguing that Washington has an obligation to accommodate that request, but the US has indicated that Pakistan's track record of nuclear proliferation disqualifies it from such an arrangement.
Presenter: Girish Sawlani
Speakers: Dr Robert Ayson, director, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University; Lt Gen (retired) Talat Masood, political analyst, Islamabad
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SAWLANI: The landmark civilian nuclear agreements signed with France and the US have boosted India's ambitions to capitalise on nuclear power to meet its demand for energy in its bid to fuel its growing economy. But now its closest neighbour and rival Pakistan is insisting on a similar deal that would allow it to import nuclear technology and fuel from the West. The country's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is demanding the US comply and says there should be no discrimination.
But Washington has already indicated its reluctance towards the agreement following an incident in 2004 when a Pakistani scientist admitted he sold atomic secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea. Coupled with other factors, analysts believe Pakistan's demands will fall on deaf ears
Nuclear expert Dr Robert Ayson heads the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, at the Australian National University
AYSON: I think the chances are very very small, next to zero. Unlike India, Pakistan is not a great power and the United States does not need Pakistan to help balance China. Pakistan is not seen as a responsible nuclear weapons state particularly because of the activities of the AQ Khan network that were busy proliferating the design of nuclear weapons and other such knowledge to other countries.
SAWLANI: Retired Pakistani army general, now defence analysts Talat Masood is also pessimistic of Islamabad's chances of attaining a nuclear deal citing political instability and national security problems.
MASOOD: Pakistan has to also be successful in fighting terrorism and extremism because you find that till such time that Pakistan politically stabilises and the law and order situation improves, these are factors which give the United States not to sort of extend similar facilities.
SALWANI: With India moving ahead with its nuclear ambitions, he believes Pakistan may have been hard done by.
MASOOD: It feels it's not being dealt with in an even fashion by the United States and other countries just because of one incident that is the AQ Khan episode, which it has corrected. So the apprehensions on the part of the United States and other countries are unjustified.
SAWLANI: But nuclear analyst Dr Robert Ayson argues discrimination is a hallmark of the industry.
AYSON: On nuclear issues internationally, discrimination is the name of the game. Some countries are part of the club, and in a sense India is now part of the club even though it's not a member of the non-proliferation treaty, Pakistan really isn't. Even though Pakistan has nuclear weapons, it's not regarded as a country the rest of the world wants in that grouping. Unfortunately the international possession of nuclear weapons is an unfair business. But those discriminatory principles are there for a reason and Pakistan's missing out.
SAWLANI: While Pakistan may not have many options in seeking a possible deal, defence analyst Talat Masood says Islamabad will most likely be looking to China.
MASOOD: I think Pakistan is surely going to look at the Chinese option and the Chinese have also indicated in the NSG that Pakistan should be given similar treatment and Pakistan already has two nuclear plants - one which is completed, one which is about to be completed from China. And I think this relationship will continue to be further strengthened.
SAWLANI: But Dr Robert Ayson from the Australian National University is doubtful of China's ability to meet Pakistan's nuclear demands.
AYSON: The first problem is that China's capacity to support other countries with nuclear power generation is limited because China has not mastered the technology itself. In fact China is reliant upon some of the same international companies that India is going to be relying upon. So there's a limit to how much China can help Pakistan and also because China is wanting to play the responsible international card, there's a limit to how much China probably would want to now cooperate further with Pakistan. So I think Pakistan's options are pretty limited.
SAWLANI: Although the US continues to see Pakistan as a key ally in its War on Terror, Talat Masood says America's reluctance towards aiding Pakistan's nuclear ambition won't have a negative impact on bilateral relations.
MASOOD: I think the relationship will continue. Both countries need each other very badly and this is of course Pakistan's point of view and it will continue to stress that it needs nuclear energy and civil nuclear plants. But it will not be a making or breaking point. It will be a point of talking to an ally.
