Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
US acknowledges Pakistan as defacto nuclear state like India: Sattar
ISLAMABAD, Feb. 7 (APP):
Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar on Feb. 6 said Pakistan is a declared nuclear weapon state and signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty will not alter its status. Talking to a panel of APP journalists here, he said Pakistan did not need a certification for its nuclear status. The international community does not deny this fact. When questioned on US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbot's statement acknowledging India as a defacto nuclear state, Sattar said, Assistant Secretary Karl Inderfurth said the same about Pakistan. Sattar said the nuclear status of Pakistan would not be affected by signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). He said the CTBT is a unique treaty as it will not come into force unless signed and ratified by 44 countries who either possess the nuclear weapons or can produce fissile material. Meanwhile, Sattar clarified that even if Pakistan signs the treaty, it will not forego its right to conduct further tests, if India conducted further tests.
This non-discriminatory principle is contained in Article 14 of the CTBT was incorporated in 1996 and Pakistan was in the forefront among the movers of this amendment. Before this amendment became part of the CTBT, he himself had opposed signing it. But then Article 14 incorporated the linkage between Pakistan and India in the text of the Treaty. After the treaty changed, it was no longer necessary to oppose it. "Whether Pakistan and India become parties to the Comprehensive Test Ban treaty or not, that will not affect the nuclear status of either country or their right to maintain and even develop their nuclear arsenals," said the Foreign Minister. Sattar said ,the word "recognition" of nuclear status is used in the context of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which was negotiated over thirty years ago. Then there were only five declared nuclear weapons states. Amendment of that treaty is a different and difficult proposition, he added. Questioned when Pakistan is going to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, he said the Government," is in no tearing hurry." The purpose of the on-going debate is to promote better understanding of what this treaty is and what it is not. Asked about critics claim that signing CTBT will result in rollback of Pakistan's nuclear programme, Sattar urged them to read the text of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Its only object is to prohibit nuclear tests explosions. Pakistan will never agree to rollback, he said.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
