LoungeMachine
07-25-2006, 07:16 PM
Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 26, 2006
America "knows" Pakistan's plans
Washington: The Bush administration has acknowledged that it had long known about Pakistan's plans to build a large plutonium-production reactor, but made it clear that it was working with Islamabad to dissuade it from expanding its nuclear arsenal.
``We discourage military use of the facility,'' White House spokesman Tony Snow said about a powerful heavy-water reactor under construction at Pakistan's Khushab nuclear site in Punjab state.
The existence of the reactor, which reportedly will be capable of producing enough plutonium for as many as 50 bombs each year, was revealed by the Washington Post, quoting independent analysts who spotted the partially completed plant in commercial-satellite photos.
Mr. Snow said the administration had ``known of these plans for some time.''
The acknowledgment came as arms-control experts and some in Congress expressed concern about a possible escalation of arms race in South Asia. Some also sharply criticised the administration for not disclosing the existence of a facility that could shape or influence a coming congressional debate over U.S. nuclear policy toward India and Pakistan.
Nuclear deal
``If either India or Pakistan starts increasing its nuclear arsenal, the other side will respond in kind,'' Edward J Markey, co-chairman of a House bipartisan task force on non-proliferation said.
``The Bush administration's proposed nuclear deal with India is making that much more likely.''
Construction of the reactor in Pakistan began as early as 2000, and the plant is still several years from completion, according to an analysis by the Institute for Science and International Security, a Washington-based non-profit group that produces technical assessments of nuclear weapons facilities.
Wednesday, Jul 26, 2006
America "knows" Pakistan's plans
Washington: The Bush administration has acknowledged that it had long known about Pakistan's plans to build a large plutonium-production reactor, but made it clear that it was working with Islamabad to dissuade it from expanding its nuclear arsenal.
``We discourage military use of the facility,'' White House spokesman Tony Snow said about a powerful heavy-water reactor under construction at Pakistan's Khushab nuclear site in Punjab state.
The existence of the reactor, which reportedly will be capable of producing enough plutonium for as many as 50 bombs each year, was revealed by the Washington Post, quoting independent analysts who spotted the partially completed plant in commercial-satellite photos.
Mr. Snow said the administration had ``known of these plans for some time.''
The acknowledgment came as arms-control experts and some in Congress expressed concern about a possible escalation of arms race in South Asia. Some also sharply criticised the administration for not disclosing the existence of a facility that could shape or influence a coming congressional debate over U.S. nuclear policy toward India and Pakistan.
Nuclear deal
``If either India or Pakistan starts increasing its nuclear arsenal, the other side will respond in kind,'' Edward J Markey, co-chairman of a House bipartisan task force on non-proliferation said.
``The Bush administration's proposed nuclear deal with India is making that much more likely.''
Construction of the reactor in Pakistan began as early as 2000, and the plant is still several years from completion, according to an analysis by the Institute for Science and International Security, a Washington-based non-profit group that produces technical assessments of nuclear weapons facilities.