Pak-China to further n-cooperation

Islamabad: In an effort to increase its nuclear power generation and gain legitimacy for its nuclear cooperation with China, Pakistan has agreed to safeguards under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the Chinese-aided Chashma power plant currently under construction.

For Islamabad, the agreement with IAEA has been timely, analysts said, giving it an option of playing the ‘China card’ in the near future and making a point to the US that has not allowed what Pakistan considers ‘a level playing field’, ostensibly vis a vis India.

The foreign office announced on Saturday that the 35-member Board of Governors of the IAEA, the global atomic watchdog, had on Thursday unanimously approved the safeguards agreement for Pakistan's Chashma Nuclear Power Plant Unit-2.

Although the approval by the IAEA arrived on Thursday, a formal announcement by the foreign office was reserved for Saturday during the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Hu promised continuing cooperation with Pakistan in the nuclear field, but stopped short of making the much-speculated announcement about helping to build six nuclear power reactors, each with 300 MW capacities.

This was credited to the ‘Chinese compulsions’, being itself a member of the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) that has long suspected Pakistan of nuclear proliferation.

President Pervez Musharraf had lobbied heavily with the Chinese for the reactors after it became evident that India could get such reactors after the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal.

The Bush administration has repeatedly rejected the Pakistani plea for being treated 'on par' with India and concluding a similar nuclear deal with Islamabad.

The News quoted the foreign office as saying that "The approval of the agreement is a success for Pakistan and recognition of its non-proliferation commitments".

It said that a similar safeguards agreement was also in place for Chashma-1 in Punjab province.

Chashma-2 is part of Pakistan's ‘Energy Security Plan’ that envisages an increase in nuclear power generation from the current 425 MW to 8,800 MW by 2030 to meet its growing energy demands.

Pakistan is one of the only three non-Nuclear Proliferation Treaty member states that enjoy the right of concluding such a safeguards agreement, the foreign office said.

Pakistan has already placed its two research reactors and two nuclear power plants under the agency's safeguards.

"Pakistan has been fulfilling its obligations in respect of these agreements and looks forward to continued cooperation with the agency within the framework of the applicable safeguards agreements in future as well," the foreign office said.