Despite US' concerns China to move ahead on Pak nuke deal

Beijing, June 23 (ANI): Despite the US voicing serious concerns over China's offer to help Pakistan set up two nuclear reactors, Beijing is likely go ahead and finance the nuclear project.

Beijing is likely to formally announce its plans to build two 650 megawatts nuclear reactors in Punjab's Chasma region during the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) meeting in New Zealand on June 24 (Thursday) amidst heavy lobbying from India against the project.

According to Chinese experts, one of the main concerns for the international community is that Bejing, like New Delhi, has not inked the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and technically it is not restricted to transfer nuclear technology to any other country.

They, however, also pointed out that it is not for the first time that China is helping Pakistan with its nuclear aspirations.

"This is not the first time China has helped Pakistan build nuclear reactors, and since it will be watched by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the deal is not going to have any problems," The China Daily quoted Zhai Dequan, deputy secretary-general of the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, as saying.

Zhai also highlighted that Washington would not pressurise Beijing to call-off its plans as it has struck a civil nuclear deal with New Delhi in 2008, which saw the NSG making exemptions for the deal.

"Pakistan is also fighting a war on terror for the US as well as for itself, and the country's loss is greater than the US and the other 42 coalition nations combined. The economic aid it has received is too little compared to its loss. Pakistan has an urgent need for more civil energy and that need should be looked after," he added.

The Sino-Pakistan nuclear deal is not likely to attract strong opposition, but NSG members still do not want to see the transaction go forward, said Mark Hibbs, nuclear policy expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Policy in Washington.

Hibbs believes that the US-India deal had set a precedent.

"There was no real agreement between the members about how to proceed," he said. (ANI)