Pak not opposed to India-US civil nuclear deal

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November 08, 2006 00:50 IST

Pakistan is not opposed to the Indo-US civil nuclear deal but wants a "non-discriminatory approach" to the issue of nuclear commerce, Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri said on Tuesday.

"Pakistan is not opposed to India's deal with the United States and wants a non-discriminatory approach in this regard," he said at a joint press conference with Hungarian Foreign Minister Kinga Goncz in Islamabad.

He said Pakistan also has needs for generating electricity through nuclear technology. "Pakistan has stated that it was not against the use of civil nuclear technology by India, but against the discrimination by the world on this vital issue," Kasuri said.

Goncz, replying to a question, said Hungary is using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. But at the same time, "...the cornerstone for us is non-proliferation and international overview control to the use of nuclear power because it is a real threat to global security," she said.

Kasuri and Goncz said they would continue their talks on civil nuclear technology cooperation in their next meeting in Vienna.

Hungary has been producing about 40 per cent of its energy through nuclear technology, Kasuri noted.

He said during the talks, he explained to the Hungarian Foreign Minister that Pakistan, a declared nuclear state, has a transparent system to ensure strict check on proliferation.

Kasuri said the two countries agreed to expedite the establishment of a Joint Economic Commission and signing of various agreements including on economic cooperation, investment promotion, cultural exchange and visa abolition for diplomatic and official passport-holders.

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