Arya Samaj

Mitra

N. Korean Blast May Hit Indo-US Nuclear Deal
by
Praful Bidwai
Antiwar.com

How is North Korea's atomic explosion, signifying the latest breakout from the global nuclear restraint regime, likely to affect the preceding two breakout cases, India and Pakistan?

Eight years after the two South Asian states blasted their way into the world's "nuclear club," it seems probable that their full integration and "normalization" as members will meet with more resistance than before North Korea's Oct. 9 nuclear test.

India and Pakistan are also likely to trade some hostile rhetoric over Islamabad's past role in nuclear proliferation to North Korea. This is the South Asian sideshow to the main post-Oct. 9 global drama, which has so far seen the self-proclaimed nuclear-weapons states (NWSs) of the world strongly condemn North Korea's test explosion.

New Delhi was quick to respond to North Korea's blast by describing it as "unfortunate" and in violation of that country's "international commitments, jeopardizing peace, stability, and security on the Korean peninsula and in the region." It also said that the test "highlights the dangers of clandestine proliferation."

This was widely seen, and energetically publicized in the media, as referring to Pakistan, which had secret dealings with North Korea going back to the 1980s. The Pakistan-based A.Q. Khan network is believed to have sold uranium enrichment technology and centrifuges to North Korea in return for its "Nodong" series of ballistic missiles.

President Gen. Pervez Musharraf in his recently released memoir In the Line of Fire writes, "Dr. Khan transferred nearly two dozen P-1 and P-11 centrifuges to North Korea. He also provided North Korea with a flow meter, some special oils for centrifuges, and coaching on centrifuge technology…."
Many Indian commentators harp on this admission. "They want to use this as a stick to beat Pakistan with," says Kamal Mitra Chenoy of the School of International Studies at the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University here.
"Some stridently demand that the United States should insist that Khan be subjected to interrogation and a full inquiry into the whole issue. But this is a childish attitude, which exaggerates the degree of Pakistani involvement in North Korea and tries to settle regional scores which are largely extraneous to the Korean nuclear issue," Chenoy added.

The Khan network did supply uranium-enrichment technology to North Korea. But the material used in the test is believed to be plutonium, extracted by North Korea from a small research reactor built by the former Soviet Union in 1965. So the Indian demand for an external inquiry into Khan's activities is unlikely to cut much ice.

Besides, the U.S. will be extremely reluctant to mount pressure on Musharraf when it badly needs his help in Afghanistan and Pakistan's border areas. In the past, Pakistan has rejected outright all demands for Khan's interrogation. He is currently under house arrest.

Pakistan's argument that its government had nothing to do with Khan's "autonomous" operations does not sound credible.
In Pakistan, sensitive nuclear designs and materials, including heavy equipment such as 6-ft.-tall metal cylinders, could not have been carried out of the Khan Laboratories premises to an airport and then by a military plane to Pyongyang without the government's knowledge or complicity. At least 18 tons of material was reportedly transported during the 1990s.
The U.S. was aware of Khan's activities, but chose to ignore its own intelligence, especially after Sept. 11, 2001. It is likely to do the same today.
(......)

The plain truth is that both India and Pakistan are behaving like the older NWSs, imitating their double standards and hypocrisy: non-members of the nuclear club must practice abstinence, but the members keep their weapons because they are "responsible."

Yet, the two arrivistes are second- or third-class members of the club, not in its top league. They, especially Pakistan, may come under pressure to demonstrate that they have taken specific strong measures to prevent the spread of nuclear or missile technology

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Shishya · Posted: Sun Nov 05, 2006 12:49 pm Post subject:

Namaste,

I think I understand the authors stance, yet I cannot wholehartedly agree with his conclusion. To put it bluntly, I think some can handle nuclear technology while others cannot. This is based on their past and present behavior. In the cases of India and Pakistan, among the lastest to join the 'nuclear club', I think the disparity could not be more clear.

India has entered the global nuclear community as a member willing to accept the existence of rules which stand for the protection and benefit of all. She has not - to my knowledge - distributed nuclear technology or propagated its spread through clandestine means. To me, this shows that India is only interested in nuclear weaponry as a last line of defense and that its prime interest resides in civil nuclear technology.

Pakistan, on the other hand, has been a reluctant member of the larger community and has shown a definate unwillingness to agree to the necessity of international standards and protocols. In a recent interview, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said quite plainly that Pakistan would not submit itself to what he termed the 'descriminatory' policies of the other NWS's, and would seek to strengthen its nuclear capacity by any means necessary. (Source) Also, as indicated by the author, Pakistan has played a key role in North Korea's attainment of nuclear technology. This, in contradistinction to India, shows that Pakistan is willing to use its nuclear capabilities for commercial and economic gain in total disregard of the possible consequences such action could have for the region and the world.
_________________
Namaste,

Shishya
ॐ

ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads

Deepan Abisuriya · Junior Member Joined: 13 Sep 2006 Posts: 66

Namaste,

I agree with you. India's view of nuclear technology is more educative and thoughtful. Whereas that of Pakistan is a childs game- a dangerous game for gain and threat.

Deepan.

Mitra · Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:28 am Post subject: Update

Senate approves Indo-US nuke deal
by
Reuters
Washington, November 17: The US Senate approved long-stalled legislation on Thursday that is a key step toward India-US nuclear cooperation for the first time in three decades.

The vote was 85 to 12 after the Republican-led Senate defeated a handful of amendments that India said would kill the deal, including a requirement that New Delhi end military cooperation with Iran. That amendment failed 59 to 38.
(....)
The deal, bringing India in line with some key international norms, was reached in principle by Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in July 2005.

It would require the rising South Asian power to open some civilian nuclear facilities to international inspections, forgo future nuclear tests and cooperate with the United States and other nations on halting the spread of nuclear exports.

Amendments that failed would have required India to stop producing weapons-grade fissile material and undertake non-proliferation obligations similar to the United States, like not helping non-nuclear weapons states acquire weapons capability.

Critics offered the amendments in an attempt to allay concerns that the landmark deal would encourage an expanding Indian nuclear weapons arsenal and spur a regional arms race with nuclear rivals Pakistan and China.

Senate leaders, under strong pressure from New Delhi, the White House and well-funded business lobbyists, held the line against what they considered "killer" proposals.

(Source)

Mitra · Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:51 am Post subject: China-Pak Deal?

Stick to promises: PM tells Bush
by
Reuters

New Delhi, November 16: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urged the United States to ensure that a landmark India-US nuclear deal does not deviate from its original form, hours before a likely Senate debate over it.
.....
China Pakistan Deal
Singh's comments came hours after reports said Chinese President Hu Jintao could agree to a similar civilian nuclear power cooperation deal with India's arch rival Pakistan during a visit to Islamabad next week.

One Indian Foreign Ministry official said he could not comment on speculation about a China-Pakistan nuclear deal, which comes days before Hu arrives in India on Monday ahead of his trip to Pakistan.

"But it is no secret that China and Pakistan are not happy about our deal and we would not be surprised if they sign their own deal," said the official, who asked not to be identified.

(Source)