The Obama administration has decided to object to a China-Pakistan civilian nuclear deal for establishing two atomic reactors in Pakistan, as it comes before the Nuclear Suppliers Group next week.
Experts have said that the deal appears to be violating international guidelines forbidding nuclear exports to countries that have not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty or do not have international safeguards on reactors.
The China-Pakistan nuclear deal is expected to come up before the 46-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) meeting next week in New Zealand, the Washington Post reported today.
State Department spokesman Gordon DuGuid said the U.S. government “has reiterated to the Chinese government that the United States expects Beijing to cooperate with Pakistan in ways consistent with Chinese non-proliferation obligations“.
In a recent article, a prominent American nuclear expert believes this would breach international protocol about the trade of nuclear equipment and material.
The China National Nuclear Corporation is financing for two new reactors at Chashma in Pakistan’s Punjab province.