China mum on possible nuclear deal with Pakistan

Beijing, Sept 11 (PTI) Amid reports that Pakistan may ink
a nuclear deal with China next week during President Asif Ali
Zardari's maiden visit here, Beijing Thursday kept mum on the
issue but said all countries were entitled to make peaceful
use of atomic energy.

China will continue to conduct nuclear energy cooperation
with "relevant countries", Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang
Yu said ahead of the visit of the new Pakistan President to
Beijing from September 17.

"All countries are entitled to make peaceful use of
nuclear energy," she said when asked to comment on media
reports of a Sino-Pakistani nuclear deal, similar to the
Indo-US agreement which Beijing apparently tried to scuttle
at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) meeting in Vienna.

Jiang said she had "no information" on whether Pakistan
was seeking a new pact on trade in nuclear material.

China is "prudent and responsible" about its military
exports, she pointed out. It has taken "strict administrative
measures" to ensure that the necessary international standards
relating to exports of military material are observed in
China's trade with all countries, she said.

She said China welcomes the visit by Zardari, who
assumed the post on Tuesday. Zardari's visit will coincide
with the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games, which he is
expected to attend.

Incidentally, India's National Security Adviser M K
Narayanan is also expected to visit Beijing around the time of
Zardari's visit for the next round of India-China boundary
talks.