Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ISLAMABAD2457
2008-07-21 14:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Islamabad
Cable title:
PAKISTANI REACTION TO THE INDIA-IAEA SAFEGUARD
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 002457
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2018
TAGS: PGOV PK PREL PARM ETTC
SUBJECT: PAKISTANI REACTION TO THE INDIA-IAEA SAFEGUARD
AGREEMENT
REF: STATE 74896
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L ISLAMABAD 002457
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2018
TAGS: PGOV PK PREL PARM ETTC
SUBJECT: PAKISTANI REACTION TO THE INDIA-IAEA SAFEGUARD
AGREEMENT
REF: STATE 74896
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) On July 21, Ambassador raised with FM Qureshi USG
concern that Pakistan was blocking IAEA action on the
proposed India Safeguard Agreement. She noted that the
Pakistani Embassy in Vienna had circulated a fax to other
missions insisting that the Agreement be subject to a 45-day
review, thereby preventing approval before the September IAEA
Board Meeting. Qureshi appeared unaware of the issue but
promised to check into it.
2. (C) Separately, Pakistan People's Party leader Asif
Zardari noted to Ambassador in a phone call that his
government had not been briefed on the Nick Burns-FS Khan
agreement that Pakistan would not publicly criticize the
U.S.-India nuclear deal. It was unfair, Zardari said, to
accuse the current GOP of not complying with an agreement
made by the previous government, especially when the new
government was not aware of that agreement. Ambassador noted
that this was a fair point but urged that the GOP not take
action to undermine the deal.
3. (C) On July 17, POLOFF delivered reftel points to Kamran
Akhtar, Director of Disarmament for the MFA, urging support
for the India-IAEA Safeguard Agreement. Akhtar quickly noted
that Pakistan does not support such an agreement. In
Akhtar's words, the GOP sees this agreement as a grave
deviation from the usual IAEA practices and norms, which sets
a new, discriminatory model when applied to all relevant
members. If this agreement was to just be a bilateral
agreement between the U.S. and India, the GOP would not have
a problem, but when it is coming from the IAEA, Akhtar
believed a dangerous precedent was being set. Akhtar assured
Poloff that the agreement was being examined, and if further
or contrary reactions are reached, they would be accordingly
passed along.
4. (C) Post will follow up with MFA Disarmament on IAEA
action, noting that in the past the U.S. supported Pakistan
in approving its own Safeguard Agreement for the Chasma
reactor within 72 hours.
PATTERSON
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2018
TAGS: PGOV PK PREL PARM ETTC
SUBJECT: PAKISTANI REACTION TO THE INDIA-IAEA SAFEGUARD
AGREEMENT
REF: STATE 74896
Classified By: Anne W. Patterson, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C) On July 21, Ambassador raised with FM Qureshi USG
concern that Pakistan was blocking IAEA action on the
proposed India Safeguard Agreement. She noted that the
Pakistani Embassy in Vienna had circulated a fax to other
missions insisting that the Agreement be subject to a 45-day
review, thereby preventing approval before the September IAEA
Board Meeting. Qureshi appeared unaware of the issue but
promised to check into it.
2. (C) Separately, Pakistan People's Party leader Asif
Zardari noted to Ambassador in a phone call that his
government had not been briefed on the Nick Burns-FS Khan
agreement that Pakistan would not publicly criticize the
U.S.-India nuclear deal. It was unfair, Zardari said, to
accuse the current GOP of not complying with an agreement
made by the previous government, especially when the new
government was not aware of that agreement. Ambassador noted
that this was a fair point but urged that the GOP not take
action to undermine the deal.
3. (C) On July 17, POLOFF delivered reftel points to Kamran
Akhtar, Director of Disarmament for the MFA, urging support
for the India-IAEA Safeguard Agreement. Akhtar quickly noted
that Pakistan does not support such an agreement. In
Akhtar's words, the GOP sees this agreement as a grave
deviation from the usual IAEA practices and norms, which sets
a new, discriminatory model when applied to all relevant
members. If this agreement was to just be a bilateral
agreement between the U.S. and India, the GOP would not have
a problem, but when it is coming from the IAEA, Akhtar
believed a dangerous precedent was being set. Akhtar assured
Poloff that the agreement was being examined, and if further
or contrary reactions are reached, they would be accordingly
passed along.
4. (C) Post will follow up with MFA Disarmament on IAEA
action, noting that in the past the U.S. supported Pakistan
in approving its own Safeguard Agreement for the Chasma
reactor within 72 hours.
PATTERSON