Continuing with our coverage of the Pakistan media reaction to American attempts to address the ongoing chaos involving the Taliban and al-Qaeda in the region, this editorial from Pakistan’s The Nation rejects any discussion of removing Pakistan’s highly-enriched uranium to the United States, as was reported in the Boston Globe on Tuesday.
Calling into question the reliability of the United States as a partner – particularly due to nuclear exceptions accorded India, The Nation editorial says in part:
“If the Boston Globe report is any way close to the truth, Pakistani officials are in talks with the U.S. about flying Pakistan’s stock of highly enriched uranium to the United States to be disposed of there … Much to the surprise of the nation of Pakistan, which under no circumstances would countenance any compromise on the nuclear assets so vital to our survival amid the hostile climate we live in, the Boston Globe reports that officials from Islamabad have shed their secretiveness about the program and are willing to cooperate. … There is no reason for us to open up to any foreign power on this highly sensitive issue – and no one should ever be permitted even to discuss the possibility of our surrendering the most potent weapon of security.”
EDITORIAL
May 7, 2009
Pakistan – The Nation – Original Article (English)
If the Boston Globe report is any way close to the truth, Pakistani officials are in talks with the U.S. about flying Pakistan’s stock of highly enriched uranium to the United States to be disposed of there. That demand is based on the Americans’ all-consuming fear that the dangerous material could fall into the hands of militants, who, they believe, are knocking at Islamabad’s door and would like to use it against the United States by gaining control of the reins of Pakistan’s government. The newspaper cites two unnamed Administration officials with direct knowledge of the discussions to secure Pakistani weapons.
[The Globe reports in part: “U.S. and Pakistani officials have begun behind-the-scenes talks aimed at achieving a greater US role in securing Pakistan’s nuclear materials, including a proposal to ship some highly enriched uranium to the United States for disposal, according to two administration officials with direct knowledge of the discussions.”]
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, your most trusted translator and aggregator of foreign news and views about our nation.
Founder and Managing Editor of Worldmeets.US