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ISLAMABAD, Sept 12: Pakistan on Monday made clear its intention to formally seek US cooperation in civilian nuclear technology to meet its growing energy requirements. “We would like the developed countries, specially the Western countries and the United States, to extend cooperation to Pakistan for peaceful uses of nuclear energy,” Foreign Office Spokesman Naeem Khan told a news briefing while responding to a question.
Pointing out that all of the country’s civilian nuclear facilities were under the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, he declared: “We are prepared to accept all safeguards on our civilian facilities.”
“Therefore, our expectation is that as our friend China has extended cooperation to Pakistan in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, the West and the US will also appreciate the expanding requirements of Pakistan and would extend cooperation in this regard,” he said.
He maintained that Pakistan had increasing energy requirements and had plans of expanding its nuclear power generation capacity to generate 8,800MW of electricity by 2030.
GAS PIPELINE: Mr Khan said Pakistan was actively involved in deliberations on the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project. He said Petroleum Minister Amanullah Khan Jadoon would visit New Delhi next month and his Indian counterpart would visit Islamabad before December to keep the momentum of the talks.
Referring to the recent meeting of the Pakistan-India Joint Working Group here, he said the two sides had asked Iran to provide independent certification of its gas reserve allocation for the project. He said the group had agreed to lay a 56-inch-diameter pipeline in view of the countries’ expected requirement of 5.6 billion cubic feet per day of gas by 2015.
The next meeting of the group would be held in Delhi in the second week of November and the tripartite framework agreement would be finalized by December, he said.
The spokesman said the three sides had agreed to appoint financial consultants to pave the way for the joint framework agreement.
MUSHARRAF’S VISIT: At the outset of the briefing, the spokesman announced details of earlier this year.
Asked about his meeting with the American Jewish Congress on Sept 17 Gen Musharraf said that his address to the Jewish community was “extremely significant”.
“I would like, in my own way, try to convey the ground reality and the need to move forward on the creation of a Palestinian state”.
In an effort to counter criticism of Pakistan’s record on women’s right, during his current trip Gen Musharraf will address American and Pakistani American women groups on Saturday. He said he would try and put the issue of violence against women in correct perspective.
Responding to a question on US State Department officials testimony in a congressional hearing on Friday that Washington would not enter into a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Pakistan like the one it had signed with India, the president said, “We would like to have similar treatment on the issue which concern Pakistan as well as India. That is our desire. However, I don’t think this is topping my agenda.”
Speaking about his visit to Tampa Florida at the end of his trip on the invitation of Gen John Abizaid chief of the US Central Command, he said, as the coalition partners, they would discuss the fight against terrorism and coordinate efforts in the areas bordering Afghanistan.
Responding to questions about President’s meeting with the Indian leader Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN Munir Akram told reporters that the composite dialogue between the two countries had made progress, “though slow.” adding a evaluation of progress of bilateral talks would be made later.
He stressed that “real peace in South Asia” depended on resolution of the core issue of Kashmir.
