WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the founder and co-chair of the House Bipartisan Task Force on Nonproliferation, today raised serious questions about the global security impact of a new reported agreement for China to supply Pakistan with two new nuclear reactors.

Rep. Markey said, "President Bush demolished the global nuclear rules by signing the U.S.-India nuclear deal, and now we're reaping the results. By waiving the nuclear rules for India, President Bush has weakened the rules for everyone else. Pakistan and China will be the first, but almost certainly not the last, to take advantage of this perilously weakened system."

China has built one nuclear reactor in Pakistan and is currently nearing completion on a second, called Chashma I and Chashma II, respectively.  The contracts for these reactors existed before China received membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in 2004, and because of this China was allowed to complete work on them.  Providing new nuclear reactors to Pakistan now would violate the NSG guidelines, as Pakistan does not allow full-scope International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.

In today's letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Rep. Markey pressed for confirmation of the reported new agreement between China and Pakistan, asked whether or not State had informed Pakistan and China that a new agreement would break NSG rules and whether the administration seek to have China abandon the deal. <full text of letter here>

In addition, Rep. Markey's letter points out that if Pakistan receives emergency loans from the International Monetary Fund, such funding could assist them in purchasing nuclear reactors from China in violation of international nuclear rules.

"If China provides new nuclear reactors to Pakistan, the global nuclear rules will be further undermined and South Asia will be set on a dangerous path. This is  exactly the legacy of the U.S.-India deal that so many feared so much," concluded Rep. Markey.

 
#  #  #