Seoul nuclear summit : Pakistan to make case for NSG membership, again

Discussion to be held on halting spread of nuclear weapons, restoring faith in nuclear energy.

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan will seek an end to the ‘discriminatory policies’ of world powers when it comes to access to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes at a nuclear security summit in Seoul.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani will lead a Pakistan delegation at the two-day summit to be attended by over 50 world leaders, including US President Barack Obama, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The Seoul moot is a follow-up to the Washington Summit held in April 2010. The meeting comes a year after the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in Japan and participants are due to discuss efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and work to restore faith in civil nuclear energy.

According to a foreign ministry official, Premier Gilani in his keynote address will make a strong case for non-discriminatory access to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including nuclear power generation, to meet the country’s growing energy demands.

The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) — which includes the United States, Russia, China, European Union countries and some others — is a group of nuclear supplier countries which seeks to contribute to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Islamabad has been seeking a civilian nuclear deal similar to the India-US accord that allows New Delhi access to nuclear technology despite being a non-signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

However, world nuclear suppliers have so far refused to heed to Pakistan’s request due to a track record of leaking sensitive technology to other states, specifically the alleged involvement of Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan in such activities.

Ahead of the summit, a statement issued by the foreign ministry on Friday made Pakistan’s case once again to become a member of the elite NSG. The statement highlighted Pakistan’s four-decade long experience of secure operation of nuclear power plants, highly trained manpower and safety and security culture.

The statement said Prime Minister Gilani would also apprise world leaders of measures implemented by Pakistan to strengthen the safety and security of nuclear installations and materials.

Meeting President Obama

The White House says President Obama is to meet Premier Gilani on March 27 in Seoul. In a press release, the White House Press Secretary said that the meeting, which is to take place after the upcoming summit, will be an opportunity for both countries “to continue high-level consultations on areas of mutual interest.” The press release further stated that President Obama “looks forward to reviewing our efforts to support an Afghan-led reconciliation process”. The prime minister is also expected to meet his Indian counterpart. (WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM HUMA IMTIAZ IN WASHINGTON)

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2012.