NSG exemptions for India could have serious repercussions: Pakistan

Pakistan is wary of powerful countries pressurising smaller nations toexempt India in the admission process to the NSG and feels that strategic stability in South Asiawould be undermined if Pakistan's application was not treated equally with that of India.

Pakistani officials suspect that powerful countries could force the smaller partners to supportIndia's Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership bid despite a growing realisation for a criteria-based approach for joining the 48-member elite grouping.

"We are pretty confident that NSG countries would not go down the exemption way, but if theyultimately do so and give exemption to India, there would be serious repercussions not just forPakistan, but also for other non-nuclear weapon states that may feel being unjustly denied theirright to peaceful uses of nuclear energy," said director general of disarmament at the foreignOffice, Kamran Akhtar, while speaking at a workshop on 'Defence, Deterrence and Stability' in SouthAsia.

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At the same time, Pakistani officials feel encouraged by growing support in the Nuclear SuppliersGroup (NSG) for establishing criteria for membership of non-NPT countries, Dawn reported.

"There are a lot of countries that now recognise the need for a criteria-based approach rather thangranting exemptions, but pressures are still being exerted on smaller countries," he said.

The workshop was jointly organised by Islamabad-based think-tank Centre for International StrategicStudies (CISS) and London's International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

Last month in Vienna, NSG members, for the second time in a year, failed to reach consensus on theadmission of non-NPT countries. The NSG members have been divided between countries demanding strictadherence to the NPT criteria and the bloc wanting to embrace India immediately.

A growing support within NSG has been noted for developing criteria for non-NPT states and theChinese proposal for a two-step approach for new admissions which involves developing criteria inthe first stage and then inviting applications for the membership.

He said it was now up to NSG countries to decide if they wanted the group to be seen as being drivenby political and commercial interests or else they would want non-proliferation goals to bestrengthened.

The official warned that strategic stability in South Asia would be undermined if Pakistan'sapplication was not treated equally with that of India.

Pakistan has been pushing for its membership in the group by adopting a uniform criteria for any newcountry to join NSG despite US backing for India to join through a selective waiver of conditions.

Tasneem Aslam, additional secretary in the Pakistan foreign Office said the issue of membership ofnon-NPT countries was deeply linked to strategic stability in South Asia.

"Today, the NSG stands at crossroads, once again, as it considers membership for non-NPT states. Aneven-handed and non-discriminatory approach by the NSG at this juncture would be of far-reachingsignificance for strategic stability in South Asia and global non-proliferation efforts," she said.

(PTI)