Bush administration plays down singnificance of Pak N reactor

Washington, Aug 5 (UNI) The Bush administration has tried to play down the significance of the new nuclear facility coming up in Pakistan, saying the partially completed heavy-water reactor in central Pakistan, will produce less plutonium than initial reports indicated.

However, independent nuclear experts do not agree with this view, says the Washington Post.

The nuclear analysts, who revealed the existence of the reactor near the Khushab nuclear facility in central Pakistan, stood by their conclusion that the reactor would dramatically boost Pakistan's capacity to develop plutonium-based warheads that could trigger a nuclear arms race in South Asia.

Pakistan is believed to possess fewer than 50 warheads, all of them based on highly enriched uranium. Uranium-based bombs are heavier and harder to mount on missiles.

The newspaper quoted David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), a Washington based non-profit group to say that ''this is a large reactor vessel''.

The group assesses the capabilities and weapons stockpiles of nuclear states.

The ISIS report warned of the possibility of a new round of nuclear competition between India and Pakistan as both possess the N bomb.

Yesterday, the Bush administration officials, citing government intelligence and nuclear experts, said the ISIS estimate was off the mark.

They said the government's independent analysis remains classified.

''The reactor will be over 10 times less capable than the ISIS report's estimates,'' State Department spokesman Edgar Matthews said.

He acknowledged that Pakistan appears to be diversifying its ability to produce fissile material for nuclear weapons, and noted that the new reactor would not be subject to international monitoring and inspection.

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