September 26, 2006	Tuesday	Ramazan 2, 1427

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WASHINGTON, Sept 25: President Pervez Musharraf says for three years he rejected US claims that Dr A.Q. Khan was smuggling nuclear components out of Pakistan but was forced to accept Washington’s position when the CIA showed him ‘incontrovertible proofs’.

In an interview to CBS correspondent Steve Kroft in Islamabad that was telecast on Sunday (excerpts from the interview were published on Friday), the president calls the discovery of the so-called Khan network of nuclear proliferators ‘one of the most embarrassing’ moments of his life.

CBS Corporation owns Simon & Schuster, which has published the president’s book.

“In April 2000, senior officials from the Clinton administration complained to you about the transfer of technology and material to North Korea, do you remember that?” Mr Kroft asks.

“I don’t remember the dates exactly but yes these complaints were coming from and my reply used to be, ‘Give me evidence. Give me proof,’” Gen Musharraf says.

That proof would be presented to him three years later. During a visit to the United States, the president was asked by President George Bush to meet CIA Director George Tenet, where he was confronted with sensitive documents that proved someone in Pakistan was selling nuclear secrets.

“He took his briefcase out, passed me some papers, told me to have a look and when I saw that it was a centrifuge design, with all its numbers and signatures - of Pakistan - it was the most embarrassing moment,” he remembers.

What about the blueprint was so incriminating?

“Well it was our centrifuge design; it’s not supposed to be with the CIA. That was top secret,” President Musharraf explains.

The president says he didn’t ask where the CIA got the design from.

Gen Musharraf says he took the documents and began his own investigation, discovering that highly sophisticated nuclear technology was sent not only to North Korea but also to Iran. The culprit was Dr A.Q. Khan.

What designs and technology had Dr Khan given to North Korea and Iran?

“He gave them centrifuge designs. He gave them centrifuge parts. And he gave them centrifuges,” Gen Musharraf explains.

To make matters worse, the US and Britain intercepted a shipment of nuclear supplies that Libya had purchased from Pakistan in 2003. The world was demanding harsh punishment for Dr Khan but President Musharraf says he believed the Pakistani people would not tolerate a long trial and prison sentence.

Because, as the president says, “Today, he’s a hero of Pakistan. Because he’s given us the atom bomb.”

Gen Musharraf had Dr Khan arrested, but then he pardoned him, keeping him under house arrest.

“(Dr Khan is) living a life in splendour, correct?” Mr Kroft asks.

“Well, he’s comfortable all right,” the president admits. “But otherwise now he doesn’t even speak on telephone.”

President Musharraf describes Dr Khan as a self-promoter obsessed with fame and power, a lone wolf who exerted personal control over key aspects of Pakistan’s nuclear operations and was able to transfer top secret technology with no official help. He thinks “ego, satisfaction and money” had driven Dr Khan to leak the secrets.

“By your own account in the book, Dr Khan shipped two dozen centrifuges to North Korea and 18 tons of material and centrifuges to Libya and Iran. How was all of this material moved without someone in the government or the army finding out about it?” Mr Kroft asks.

“First of all, bringing these centrifuges or their parts, these are not huge elements. They can be put into your car and moved,” the president replies.

“You think he moved 18 tons worth of material in his car?” Mr Kroft asks.

Gen Musharraf says the materials, heading to Libya and Iran, “must have been transported many times”.

“But we’ve been to your nuclear facilities enough to know that they’re very heavily guarded and the military is all around them,” Mr Kroft remarks. How did all this material get out and get sent to Libya?

“What is the military meant for?” asks Gen Musharraf. “That is to safeguard them from outside attack.”

“So obviously your internal controls were a little weak,” Mr Kroft says.

“No, they were not weak,” the president disagreed. “They were very strong.”

“Except for the man who was running the operation,” Mr Kroft remarks.

“Yes of course. He tells his security man this vehicle has to move, okay, to the airport. Okay. Put it in a C-130 and send it,” Gen Musharraf says.

“I think because no one from the outside world has been allowed to talk to him, there are suspicions that perhaps the reason is because Dr Khan might say something about army participation in the sale of nuclear technology,” Mr Kroft asks.

“That is absolutely not the case. President Bush or Mr George Tenet, they are very satisfied and they are quite comfortable with what we have done,” Gen Musharraf argues.

TERRORISM: ”There have been half a dozen plots on your life. Why are so many people trying to kill Pakistan’s president?” asks Mr Kroft.

“These people are extremists, terrorists. They believe in forcing their views on others. So, I’m standing in their way, frankly,” Gen Musharraf says.

“The suicide attack. You discovered that most of the plotters were from the Pakistani Air Force,” Mr Kroft remarks.

“Yes,” he replied.

Asked if that disturbs him, the president acknowledges: “It did. It’s all the lower ranks. They are susceptible to such extremist, terrorist tendencies and to be indoctrinated to do these things.”

“Seven of the accused people involved in the foiled London plot to hijack 10 commercial airliners are Pakistanis. Does that bother you or surprise you?” Mr Kroft asks.

“It disappoints me, yes. But at the same time, it annoys us also. They are not Pakistanis. They are born and bred in Britain, and they are British,” he points out.

But seven of them had dual citizenship.

“Well, yes, dual citizenship. I do get disappointed that they have linkages with Pakistan and also some of them may have travelled here, yes,” the president acknowledges.

“I mean the British terrorists seem to feel it necessary to come to Pakistan and talk to somebody,” Mr Kroft points out. “To get their blessing.”

“Yes. This is because of whatever has happened for 26 years. So this place becomes a boiling pot,” Gen Musharraf replies.

“President Karzai has complained for a long time that the Taliban have been getting help from inside Pakistan,” Mr Kroft asks. “Is that going to end?”

“Yes indeed people could be coming here. People could be training and going back on their own. And we will act against them. We are trying to do our best,” the president pledges.