Musharraf Warns The US

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf has "warned the US and important Western countries that there would be no stability in the South Asia region" unless Washington and European capitals sign a deal with Islamabad similar to the July 18 Indo-American agreement on civilian nuclear cooperation.

In a front page report on Tuesday, the Pakistani newspaper Dawn quoted a source close to Musharraf saying, "Denying Pakistan a nuclear package like that of India is a clear discrimination against a friend... there would be no stability if India was continued to be favored and Pakistan ignored despite being a strong ally of the international community against terrorism."

The Daily Times of Pakistan had earlier reported that Gen Musharraf, during his New York sojourn for the UN General Assembly session, would plead with US President George Bush for a nuclear deal similar to the one he had inked with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

On Tuesday, Dawn categorically said "Pakistan has sought a nuclear deal from the US and other Western countries, like the US-India deal, to help fulfill its energy needs." This suggests that Gen Musharraf did raise the issue during his meeting with Mr Bush and other Western heads of state in New York.

Quoting sources, Dawn said, "Islamabad has urged the Nuclear Suppliers Group not to single out Pakistan by providing nuclear energy to India in the region." Pakistan claims it is in dire need of nuclear power plants to meet its energy target till the year 2030. The Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Pervez Butt has pegged his country's need at 8,800 MW of nuclear power during the next 25 years.

What seems to have greatly upset Gen Musharraf and his regime is that following the July 18 accord in Washington, the UK, Canada and France have also offered civilian nuclear supplies to India. They should also be offered the same arrangement "to Pakistan failing which Islamabad will be constrained to look for other sources to meet its energy needs," the Dawn report adds, citing sources.

According to the sources cited by Dawn, "India has planned six new nuclear power plants after having been assured the required nuclear cooperation by the Bush Administration, Britain, Canada and France."

Gen Musharraf, says Dawn, "has given the details to the United States and some other Western countries of importing and establishing 13 nuclear power plants. Also, he has told them that "China is helping to establish another 300 MW power plant to help meet Islamabad's power requirements."

The Pakistani President, in a pre-emptive move to circumvent charges of irresponsible behavior by Islamabad leading to nuclear proliferation, has offered to place the country's "whole (nuclear) program under the active supervision of International Atomic Energy Agency."