US seeks more info from China over contentious nuclear reactor deal with Pak

Washington, June 29 (ANI): The United States has asked China to provide more information regarding its proposal to help Pakistan build two new nuclear power plants in Punjab province's Chasma region, which already houses a couple of nuke reactors.

State Department spokesperson P J Crowley told media persons during regular briefing here that the US had raised the issue during last week's Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) meeting in New Zealand, and that Washington is continuously seeking more information from Beijing over helping Islamabad with its nuclear programme.

"We have a view that this initiative, as it goes forward, would need the agreement of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. And we continue to seek information from China regarding its future plans. As a first step, we're looking for more information from China as to what it is potentially proposing," The News quoted Crowley, as saying.

Meanwhile, responding to the crisis emanating from China's denial to address the international community's concerns, a Washington based disarmament group, Arms Control Association, has asked all the 46-members of the NSG to respect and uphold the rules set up by the group.

"If the NSG is to remain effective and credible, member states must respect uphold their own rules, avoid actions that feed the nuclear arms race, and strengthen their guidelines to prevent weapons-related nuclear technology from proliferating in the years ahead," The News quoted the group, as saying.

China, which has been a member of the NSG since 2004, is required to seek an exemption from the group that controls global flow of nuclear technology and material before supplying reactors to Pakistan.

Beijing insists the sale of two nuclear reactors to Islamabad is in accordance with its international obligations. There are however, chances of NSG countries coming together to let Beijing go through this "grandfather" of deals. (ANI)