Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=02/02/05

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT Q&A

TITLE=PAKISTAN US AMBASSADOR Q&A

NUMBER=2-322211

BYLINE=MICHAEL KITCHEN/ RYAN CROCKER

DATELINE=ISLAMABAD

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

HEADLINE: U.S. Ambassador Praises Pakistan's Investigation of Nuclear Proliferation

INTRO: In an interview with VOA's Mike Kitchen, the U.S Ambassador to Pakistan, Ryan Crocker, has praise for Islamabad's efforts to investigate its scientists accused of illicitly trading nuclear technology. Here are some excerpts of Ambassador Crocker's interview in the Pakistani capital on Wednesday.

TEXT:

VOA MIKE KITCHEN: Last year Pakistan saw a major scandal involving one of its scientists, Abdul Qadeer Khan running an international nuclear black market. And since then, some people have criticized the Pakistani investigation into that, saying perhaps others were involved, perhaps members of the military. How do you feel Pakistan has done in terms of trying to track down people involved in this network?

AMBASSADOR RYAN CROCKER: Nuclear proliferation is a very serious business, one over which we are deeply concerned. The A.Q. Khan case certainly illustrates what can go wrong and how grave those consequences can be. The steps taken by the government of Pakistan to dismantle the A.Q. Khan network and to set in place the safeguards to ensure that that kind of activity never takes places again are certainly most welcome. They continue to pursue the investigation into the activities of A.Q. Khan. It's very important that they do so. We don't think all the answers are in yet. The government of Pakistan has undertaken that they will fully share anything they learn with us and I think it's very important they keep at this.

MIKE KITCHEN: The U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency, the nuclear watchdog group for the United Nations, has wanted to interview Dr. Khan personally as part of its own investigation and so far it has not been allowed to do that. Do you think it would be a good step for Pakistan to allow this interview? Is it something that the U.S. sees as important?

AMBASSADOR CROCKER: My own view is that it is more important that the questions be asked and continue to be asked until there are satisfactory answers. I think it's less important who is asking the questions. Indeed, there is certain merit to the view that the Pakistani authorities themselves may be the best placed to pursue to this to its end. Again the important thing is not the identity of the questioner, it's keeping at this with the right questions until we all agree that we all have the right answers.

ANCHOR: That was Ryan Crocker, the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, talking with VOA's Islamabad correspondent, Mike Kitchen. (Signed)

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