Sino-Pak nuke engagement did not figure in Indo-Pak FS talks

TORONTO - India has said that the civil nuclear cooperation between Pakistan and China was not raised during the recent foreign secretary-level talks in Islamabad.

Sources told media persons accompanying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Toronto for the fourth Group of Twenty (G-20) Summit that while New Delhi is concerned about the unconfirmed reports of the Chinese helping Pakistan to build two more nuclear reactors in that country’s Chashma region, it is satisfied with the recent statement of the 46-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) that says it is monitoring nuclear cooperation between non-NSG countries carefully.

The sources further said that India is of the view that civil nuclear cooperation between any two countries can take place so long as it conforms to international (NSG/IAEA) guidelines.

They said that India’s civil nuclear cooperation pact with the United States conforms to such guidelines, and is transparent for the entire world to see.

Sources also said that Pakistan is facing an energy crisis, and is well within its rights to augment its needs in this sector from which ever source available, but in a transparent manner.

Sources also described the latest NSG statement issued in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Friday (June 25) as a “good statement” that should be seen in a positive light.” By Ashok Dixit (ANI)