World

Saudi Arabia dismisses reports of 'buying' nukes from Pakistan

Saudi Defense Ministry official says such reports are not new, and are likely to continue for some time

Web Desk May 19, 2015

sunday times claimed that saudi arabia had bankrolled pakistan 039 s nuclear programme for decades photo afp

Sunday Times claimed that Saudi Arabia had bankrolled Pakistan's nuclear programme for decades. PHOTO: AFP

Days after a report surfaced which claimed Saudi Arabia wanted to buy nuclear weapons from Pakistan, a defense official of the Kingdom dismissed it as mere "speculation" on Tuesday, CNN reported.

The Sunday Times of London had published a report which claimed that Saudi Arabia had "taken the 'strategic decision' to acquire 'off-the-shelf' atomic weapons from Pakistan," citing unnamed American officials, in a bid to counter Iran after the recent nuclear deal it reached with the West.

A Saudi Defense Ministry official however said that such reports were not new. "I don't understand what the story is. This has been in the news for 18 years and will continue to be for the next 15 years."

"The ministry does not comment on rumors and speculation," the official added.

A US State Department official pointed out on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia was a signatory of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

"It has committed never to acquire nuclear weapons, and to apply full international safeguards to all peaceful nuclear activities," the official said. "We attach great importance to Saudi Arabia's continued implementation of these commitments."

The Sunday Times had claimed that the Saudi move follows bankrolling much of the Pakistani nuclear program for three decades and amid concerns over a framework deal on Iran's nuclear program.

"We have consulted throughout the recent negotiations with our allies and partners around the world, including Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries, and will continue to do so as we move into the final weeks and months of these talks," the State Department official said Tuesday.

Besides the concern from some Arab nations that the agreement may instead allow Iran wriggle room to develop a working nuke, the deal has been met with fierce opposition from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

This article originally appeared on CNN

COMMENTS (12)

Shahid | 9 years ago | Reply Such false report are not used first time to damage the Saudi and Pakistani image. Ironically, Saudi Arabia feels threatens if Iran goes nuclear and it will go acquire nuclear weapons as well. For this, Saudi Arabia likely can ask all the nuclear states, even the so called global guardian, the U.S., or Russia, Israel, China, France, UK and India. We’ll see then what international media and United Nations have to say about the issue.

U-turn | 9 years ago | Reply Let us first take nukes back from those countries which have already nuked people.

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Dan | 9 years ago | Reply Saudi Arabia thinks that it has every right to have nukes, after all it gave Pakistan all the money it needed to borrow nukes from N.Korea & China. Pakistan did not have the capability nor the money to build nukes. If Pakistan sells nukes to Saudi Arabia, it should and will face western sanctions that will bankrupt more an already poor and unstable country. This in turn will make Pakistan even more unsafe and so is their nukes. All nukes should be immediately taken back from Pakistan ASAP. Selling Nukes to Saudis will make the middle east region more unstable.

Sulman | 9 years ago | Reply Western media is busy in making myths about Pakistan's nuclear program. On various occasions, Pakistani officials said the western reports are malicious which carry no truth. Pakistan is a responsible nuclear power and it respects nuclear nonproliferation accords. Saudi Arabia is not even willing to go nuclear because it has already signed nuclear nonproliferation treaty.

Milind | 9 years ago | Reply Why do Saudis have to 'buy' nukes from Pakistan? All these nukes are theirs, they bankrolled these, letting Pakistan to do the dirty work and take the blame (in case), while having these at their disposal.. Case of having their cake and eating it...

Zulqarnain | 9 years ago | Reply Iran has the right to have nukes too.

Demolition Woman | 9 years ago | Reply Probably recent visits by Pakistani dignitaries to KSA in the wake of the Yemen crisis have resulted in such assurances in lieu of boots on the ground in Yemen.

Weirdity | 9 years ago | Reply In related news, Saudi Arabia dismissed reports that it uses beheading to implement death penalty.

saleem hatoum | 9 years ago | Reply Pretty stupid of you with the photo of Pakistan Army troops with their missiles in the background.

Raj - USA | 9 years ago | Reply I hope, for the sake of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and many other muslim countries, that neither Saudi Arabia makes the mistake of trying to buy nuclear weapons from Pakistan and nor that Pakistan foolishly tries to sell or in any clandestinely give nuclear weapons to Saudi Arabia. USA, all P-5 members of UN, and the entire west will be after both countries and finish both. No one will now allow mad and extremist countries to possess nuclear weapons.

cautious | 9 years ago | Reply Nukes haven't brought peace to Pakistan, India, USA UK, France, China, Israel or Russia ... so why in the World would Saudi Arabia believe that it would provide peace? Nukes aren't going to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. Saudi Arabia is stronger with USA as an ally than with nukes - suspect you can't have both.

Prakash | 9 years ago | Reply There have been reports suggesting that Pakistan has amassed more nuclear weapons than India. Well, it figures.

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