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Nov. 20, 2008 - State Dept. Confirms: International Rules Prohibit China-Pakistan Nuclear Deal
Key international meeting in Vienna today to discuss nuclear trade rules
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and the founder and co-chairman of the House Bipartisan Task Force on Nonproliferation, today released a letter in which the Department of State unambiguously confirmed that providing any new nuclear reactors by China to Pakistan is not allowed by the rules of the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG), which governs international nuclear trade. Rep. Markey sent a list of detailed questions regarding the possibility of a
China-Pakistan nuclear deal to the Department of State on October 23,
2008.
Rep. Markey said,
"There is no doubt whatsoever that international nonproliferation rules bar
China from providing
Pakistan with new nuclear
reactors.This is clear from a
plain-language reading of the Nuclear Suppliers' Group Guidelines, and I am very
pleased that the Bush Administration has agreed with this
view."
In his October 23rd letter to Secretary of
State Rice, Rep. Markey pointed out that "the provision of new nuclear reactors
to Pakistan would violate NSG
guidelines."In its response, the Department of State agreed, writing that the
proposed nuclear deal between China and Pakistan would "require consensus
approval by the NSG for an exception to the
Guidelines."
The NSG is meeting today in Vienna, Austria to discuss new rules
regarding uranium enrichment facilities.The possibility of a China-Pakistan nuclear deal will likely also be a
subject of discussion.
Rep. Markey concluded, "China should not violate its international
obligations by selling new nuclear reactors to Pakistan.The United States has clearly stated that
such a sale would be against international nonproliferation rules, and I hope
other countries stand up to deliver the same message. Pakistan is
responsible for more nuclear proliferation than any other single country;
nuclear cooperation is off the table."