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Pakistan, Iran never cooperated in N-program: spokesman

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Jan 19, IRNA -- Pakistan Monday confirmed recent statements
by an Iranian high-ranking official that Islamabad and Tehran have 
never cooperated in transfer of nuclear technology. 
"Denials from Iran and Libya substantiate Pakistan`s point of 
view," Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan told a weekly briefing 
stressing that Pakistan has never proliferated. 
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs Mohsen 
Aminzadeh last Wednesday denied reports that any foreign nuclear 
scientists have helped Tehran in its peaceful nuclear program. 
"Iran`s nuclear program has been developed by our own scientists 
and there is no outside assistance," the Iranian diplomat told a news 
conference in Islamabad following his talks with Pakistani leaders. 
He said that two persons from the region and not any scientists 
played the role of business-brokers to purchase necessary equipment 
for Iran`s peaceful nuclear program. 
However, he did not disclose the nationality of the two men. 
When asked to comment on the statement by Iranian deputy foreign 
minister that three individuals from European Union have also been 
identified, Khan said that there was a `lopsided focus` on Pakistan. 
"Reports in the international media have named individuals from 
Asia, Europe and even from North America," the spokesman added. 
Responding to a question citing TIME magazine as saying CIA was 
associated with on-going debriefings of Pakistan`s nuclear scientists,
Khan said, "This is not true and everything written is not gospel. 
"Let`s not speculate," he said, urging the media to refrain from 
jumping to any conclusions. "The briefing has not yet concluded." 
He said following some information from the International Atomic 
Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran, Pakistan decided to be proactive and 
conduct an `in-house` investigation as responsible atomic power. 
"Pakistan has never proliferated and will never proliferate," he 
said, adding that all sensitive organizations have their own rules and
regulations. 
"This is nothing unique to Pakistan ... such procedures apply to 
scientists in nuclear establishments all over the world, particularly 
the nuclear weapon states." 
When asked whether Pakistan would hand over its nuclear scientists
to any foreign country after the conclusion of the debriefing 
sessions, he gave a categoric negative answer. `No`. 
TSH/AH/213 
End