ID :
193049
Tue, 07/05/2011 - 17:01
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/193049
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China gets its Pakistan nuclear reactors through Nuclear Suppliers Group
New Delhi, July 05, 2011 (PPI): China has got away with two new nuclear reactors for Pakistan by the Nuclear Suppliers Group NSG. At June 23-24 plenary meeting of the 46-nation nuclear cartel in Noordwik, Netherlands, China was questioned about the two new reactors, Chashma 3 & 4, that it announced it would build in Pakistan. China said the deal was “grandfathered”, that is, they said it had been reached before it joined the NSG in 2004.
Indian officials were quoted Tuesday by Times of India as saying that the brief Chinese statement was enough for the rest of the NSG - even the United States - to accept China at its word. “There was no pushback by NSG members,” officials said.
On March 18, Robert Blake, U.S. assistant secretary in the State Department, said in Beijing, “We expect China to abide by commitments that it made when it joined the NSG in 2004, and in particular we think construction of new nuclear reactors such as Chashma 3 and 4 would be inconsistent with those commitments.” But this position was not held up by others, who let the deal pass.
In Europe, China got thumbs up from Germany, the biggest power in Europe. Days before the NSG plenary, German government, in an answer to the Bundestag, reportedly said, “China can export nuclear goods for construction of nuclear power plants Chashma 3 and 4 to Pakistan without violating NSG guidelines.” Germany also argued that “China has explained its position on existing export agreements when it joined the NSG”.
China had signed Chashma agreement with Pakistan in 1991, under which it had given a 300-MW reactor to Pakistan and agreed for a second one of 325MW, also at Chashma, both of which are working satisfactorily under IAEA safeguards.
Indian officials were quoted Tuesday by Times of India as saying that the brief Chinese statement was enough for the rest of the NSG - even the United States - to accept China at its word. “There was no pushback by NSG members,” officials said.
On March 18, Robert Blake, U.S. assistant secretary in the State Department, said in Beijing, “We expect China to abide by commitments that it made when it joined the NSG in 2004, and in particular we think construction of new nuclear reactors such as Chashma 3 and 4 would be inconsistent with those commitments.” But this position was not held up by others, who let the deal pass.
In Europe, China got thumbs up from Germany, the biggest power in Europe. Days before the NSG plenary, German government, in an answer to the Bundestag, reportedly said, “China can export nuclear goods for construction of nuclear power plants Chashma 3 and 4 to Pakistan without violating NSG guidelines.” Germany also argued that “China has explained its position on existing export agreements when it joined the NSG”.
China had signed Chashma agreement with Pakistan in 1991, under which it had given a 300-MW reactor to Pakistan and agreed for a second one of 325MW, also at Chashma, both of which are working satisfactorily under IAEA safeguards.
