|
|
|
| 20 January 2004 | Tuesday | 27 Ziqa'ad 1424 |
N-tech transfer proof not found: FO
ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: Pakistan said on Monday that nuclear scientists taken into custody were being interrogated to find out if any transfer of nuclear technology from the country had actually taken place. Answering a volley of questions at his weekly press briefing
, Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said five or six more people had been picked up for "debriefing" during the last two days "but no conclusion has so far been drawn" whether a transfer of technology occurred.
Confirming the latest arrests, he however declared that "no Pakistani institute or entity was ever involved in the transfer of any nuclear technology from Pakistan."
Mr Khan said the people picked up by security agencies were being questioned following a request received from the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for cooperation to ascertain reports that some individuals from Pakistan were involved in the proliferation of nuclear technology or know-how.
He told reporters that the Western countries "have expressed confidence" in Pakistan's command and control system of its nuclear weapons but the "only thing that stands out is the information shared (with us) by the IAEA" about some individuals.
It was on the basis of the IAEA request that Pakistan had also asked a few questions from Dr A.Q.Khan, he said. He rejected outright assertions that CIA or FBI also took part in the scientists' "debriefing", saying it was a routine in-house exercise.
He also denied that some of the people interrogated might be handed over to the United States for further investigation. Justifying the hunt for suspects in the country's principal nuclear arms project, he asserted: "We must respect all rules and regulations flowing from the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and work together to eliminate the black market in nuclear technology."
KASHMIR ISSUE: He also reiterated Pakistan's position that there will be no change in its consistent stand on the Kashmir dispute, and that no compromise will be made "on the rights of the Kashmiri people."
"We will continue to push for respect for the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he said. However, "unless we proceed with the dialogue as agreed between India and Pakistan earlier this month, we will not be able to make any headway," the FO spokesman said.
He added: "The situation in Kashmir (including human rights violations) remains a matter of concern, and we hope that with the commencement of a dialogue process, we will discuss all issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute."
He cautioned against drawing hasty conclusions from reported comments here or abroad on the outstanding issue. He described Pakistani leadership's engagement with the Indian prime minister as "a historic moment."
India and Pakistan need to discuss all issues and address them in totality, "otherwise we will have no solution to the Kashmir problem," he remarked.
The Kashmiri leaders and the general public of Jammu and Kashmir remain assured that the Pakistan government's policy was consistent and unaltered, he observed.
"We have conveyed all our concerns on Jammu and Kashmir to India and we hope that all related issues will be discussed when we have a composite dialogue," Mr Khan said.
The FO spokesman also announced that the Pakistan government had offered to India to host "technical level talks" on the proposed Khokhrapar-Munabao bus service on March 8 and 9, and a similar service between Muzaffarabad and Srinagar on March 29 and 30, without prejudice to Pakistan's stand that the LoC was not a permanent border.
|
|
|
|