US de hypenated policy in South Asia to upset BOP: Karamat

Washington, Mar 19 (UNI) Pakistan ambassador to the US Jehangir Karamat has said the Bush administration seeking an India-specific waiver from the Congress to share civilian nuclear technology will upset the balance of power in the region.

''The recent Foreign Office statement is really a clarification of what we have been saying all along, that in the interest of balance of power in the South Asian region, there should be a package for both countries and not country-specific deals on a subject, as critical as nuclear technology,'' Mr Jahangir said in a statement issued here yesterday.

Pakistan has been urging the US to consider it for a similar deal, to ''prevent a nuclear arms race in the region''.

''We do understand and appreciate the under-pinnings of the US's de-hyphenated policy in South Asia, but this should not be leaning so heavily on one side,'' the statement added.

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had earlier said his country's security policy is no longer India-centric. He had also emphasised on minimum deterrence as a pillar of their policy. ''We do not want an arms race in the region,'' he had said.

''Earlier, we had tabled 'Reciprocal Restraint' as a concept which could be bilaterally discussed. We hope the US policy will take these aspects into consideration. We also hope that the US policy will not be based on transitory and evolving trends, but on relationships that are maturing in these fluid situations,'' it added.

Pakistan is committed to democracy- but, its policies are supporting the development of the political, social and economic institutions,'' the statement said adding. ''The military will take its rightful place, once this process is complete; because right now, it is the major driver for institutional development''.

UNI XC PR VC0958