Pak voices concern over Indo-US nuke deal

Voicing concern over the "incipient" Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, Pakistan has said any endorsement of a selective approach would "fatefully damage" the existing consensus on disarmament and non-proliferation.

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly here, Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan said "the incipient US-India civilian nuclear deal would inject a new element in the region".

Apparently referring to the agreement that India is seeking with the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in the context of the nuclear accord, he said. "In the coming months, the NSG states have a heavy responsibility as any endorsement of a selective or discriminatory approach could fatefully damage the existing consensus on disarmament and non-proliferation".

India has to get a waiver for international nuclear trade from the 45-member NSG to operationalize the atomic deal.

But while opposing the deal, the Pakistan Foreign Secretary said Islamabad has a strong interest in developing civil nuclear power generation under international safeguards.

"We have concerns over strategic stability which we will maintain despite our firm opposition to an arms race in South Asia," he said adding Pakistan would maintain "minimum credible deterrence."

Khan said there is an "obvious need" for a new and universal consensus on non-proliferation, disarmament and peaceful nuclear cooperation that eliminates dangers and risks and establishes cooperation on an equitable basis.

(Reporting by Dharam Shourie)