Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BERLIN1591
2008-11-26 16:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Berlin
Cable title:  

(C) GERMANY FEARS NSG COULD BE UNDERMINED BY

Tags:  KNNP KNUC PREL PK CH GM 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRL #1591 3311627
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 261627Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2721
INFO RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUCNNSG/NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0985
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0476
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0370
C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 001591 

SIPDIS
ISN\RA FOR MICHAEL ENNIS
ISN\RA FOR TODD KOCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2033
TAGS: KNNP KNUC PREL PK CH GM
SUBJECT: (C) GERMANY FEARS NSG COULD BE UNDERMINED BY
CHINA/PAKISTAN NUCLEAR COOPERATION

REF: A. STATE 122528

B. BERLIN 1509

Classified By: Global Affairs Unit Chief Don L. Brown for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 001591

SIPDIS
ISN\RA FOR MICHAEL ENNIS
ISN\RA FOR TODD KOCA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2033
TAGS: KNNP KNUC PREL PK CH GM
SUBJECT: (C) GERMANY FEARS NSG COULD BE UNDERMINED BY
CHINA/PAKISTAN NUCLEAR COOPERATION

REF: A. STATE 122528

B. BERLIN 1509

Classified By: Global Affairs Unit Chief Don L. Brown for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Germany believes that continued civil nuclear
cooperation between Pakistan and China (beyond the Chasma II
nuclear power plant) is outside the scope of China's entrance
agreement into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and fears
that this continued cooperation could weaken the NSG as a
whole. MFA Nuclear Energy Policy officer, Dr. Joerg Polster,
shared his concern that, given the NSG India exception for
civil nuclear cooperation and China's continued cooperation
with Pakistan's nuclear program, this would set the stage for
Israel to also demand an exception. Polster emphasized that
Germany, at present, would be opposed to any NSG exception
for Pakistan.


2. (C) On November 24, EconOff met with Polster, drawing on
key themes derived from REF A (as a follow-up to a
conversation Polster had with ISN's Dick Stratford in Vienna
during the November 19-20 NSG Consultative Group (CG) meeting
in Vienna.) Polster remarked on China's disingenuousness
with the NSG regarding their Chasma III and IV nuclear
cooperation with Pakistan and added that Germany has not/not
seen any related agreements for the construction of
additional nuclear facilities. Polster suspects that China
will simply press on with nuclear cooperation with Pakistan
under their interpretation of their NSG grandfather
exception. Polster asked rhetorically, "realistically, what
can the NSG do about it?"


3. (C) Polster remarked that the India NSG exception for
civil nuclear cooperation has indeed shed a different light
on the role of the NSG, in particular, in regards to other
Nuclear Weapons States (NSW) such as Pakistan or Israel.
However, Polster emphasized that Germany does not feel the
India exception weakened the NSG at all given India's strong
non-proliferation record and agreement for full-scope IAEA
safeguards in selected civilian nuclear facilities.
TIMKEN JR