U.S. rules out nuke deal with Pak

New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) The U.S. Tuesday ruled out the possibility of entering into a civil nuclear deal with Pakistan, rejecting apparent demands by China in this regard.

"I don't think there is one," U.S. Ambassador David C Mulford told reporters here when asked about the possibility of Washington having a civil nuclear deal with Islamabad on the lines of Indo-U.S. agreement.

Ever since negotiations started on the Indo-U.S. nuclear
deal in July 2005, Pakistan has been pleading for a similar
agreement citing parity with India.

China has lately started taking up Pakistan's case in a veiled manner.

At the meeting of Nuclear Suppliers Group in Vienna last
week to consider waiver for India, a Chinese representative
had said the 45-nation grouping should address similar
"aspirations" of other countries too.

Though Mulford did not elaborate, the U.S. feels that
Pakistan cannot be treated on par with India in the civil
nuclear field considering its bad track record in this area.

Pakistan is known to be a source of nuclear
proliferation, with even its former chief scientist A.Q. Khan
being found guilty of indulging in this act.

To a question on China's negative role at the N.S.G,
Mulford refused to comment, merely saying "In the end, they
did the right thing".

China, which had assured India that it will not create
problems for the waiver at N.S.G, had tried to block the
initiative during the grouping's meeting in Vienna last week
before coming around on the issue. PTI AKK