Lhore: Bhutto, Kissinger & Nuclear game in South Asia
Both India & Pakistan are nuclear States but both failed to use latest technology for them. Both are dependent on fuel from foreign suppliers. Why Indra Gandhi & Indian establishment opted for nuclear test in 1974? After 50 years we have to think about it.
This plant would process spent uranium rods from nuclear reactors to prepare them for re‐use as fuel, thus making the country less dependent on fuel from foreign suppliers. In the process, plutonium, which can be used for nuclear weapons, is also produced.
Mr. Bhutto has repeatedly said that Pakistan would not make a nuclear weapon, but since India used its reprocessing plant to do just that, the United States wants Pakistan —and other nations interested in reprocessing—to agree to the use of multinational reprocessing centers as an additional hedge against the spread of nuclear weapons.
[In Washington, Senator Abraham A. Ribicoff received a letter from Mr. Kissinger acknowledging for the first time that it was highly probable that India used material supplied by the United States in exploding its nuclear, device in 1974. Page 6.]
لہور،بھٹو، کسنجر اتے ایٹمی توانائی اتے ایٹم بارے گفتگو۔۔
ایہہ ملاقات بھٹو دی حکومت ٹٹن توں 11 مہینے پہلی دی ہے۔ری پراسیسنگ پلانٹ نال انڈیا تے پاکستان اپنے تونائی دے مسلے حل کر سکدے سن پر 1974 وچ انڈیا ایٹمی دھماکے پاروں اک نئی ایٹم بم ریس شروع کروا دتی۔اگلے 50 سال دونوں ملک ''تیل'' تے لمیاں رقماں لاندے رہے۔ ایہہ سب ایس آرٹیکل وچ ہیگا جے تسی ایس بارے سوچ سکو۔
Now read the article published in ew York Times at August 09, 1976
KISSINGER MEETS PAKISTANI LEADER ON NUCLEAR ISSUE
LAHORE, Pakistan, Aug. 8—Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger arrived here tonight for talks with Prime Minister Zulfikar All Bhutto aimed at averting a crisis caused by Pakistan's refusal to drop plans to develop its own nuclear reprocessing plant despite intense American nressure.
Reporters aboard Mr. Kissinger's Air Force jet plane were told that the United States strongly opposed construction of the French‐designed plant on the ground that it had no economic justification and that, despite certain international) safeguards, it seemed likely to raise concern that Pakistan was planning to match India, by exploding a nuclear device of its own.
Plane Sale May Be Blocked
Because of this, Mr. Kissinger was reportedly ready to tell Mr. Bhutto not only• that the United States Government would not permit the sale of A‐7 Corsair jet fighter‐bombers to Pakistan but that Pakistan also ran a risk of having all its economic aid from the United States cut off under new law.
[In Washington, Senator Abraham A. Ribicoff received a letter from Mr. Kissinger acknowledging for the first time that it was highly probable that India used material supplied by the United States in exploding its nuclear, device in 1974. Page 6.]
At a dinner given by Prime Minister Bhutto tonight for Mr. Kissinger, the two men exchanged pointed, but humorous, barbs about the nuclear issue, which has become a major point of contention between the two nations in recent months. A reprocessing plant would produce as a byproduct, plutonium that could be used for making nuclear weapons.
Refusal Apparently Reaffirmed
Mr. Bhutto, referring to Lahore, the capital of Punjab, as the cultural center of Pakistan, said in his toast: “This is our reprocessing center, and we cannot in any way curb the reprocessing center in Pakistan.”
The dinner guests, highranking Pakistanis and Americans laughed at Mr. Bhutto's play on words in which he appeared publicly to reaffirm his refusal to change the plans for a nuclear reprocessing plant.
Mr. Kissinger, in his reply, said that governments must constantly review their policies —“to reprocess themselves”— and decide “what is worth reprocessing.”
The guests also applauded Mr. Kissinger's turn of phrase, which diplomatically called on Mr. Bhutto to alter his nuclear plans.
But although the dinner, in state guest house, was elegant and served by colorfully dressed Punjabis in a relaxed atmosphere, the main topic of conversation was concern over the severe floods that have de. stroyed about 3,000 villages in this area and left about hall of Lahore—mostly the old pail of the city—flooded.
Two Weeks of Rain
Pakistani officials said that the floods, caused by heavy downpour's over the last two weeks, were worse than those of 1973, when severe damage was inflicted.
Mr. Kissinger flew from Teheran, Iran, where he had spent the last three days, to Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, where he spent several hours talking with President Mohammad Daud before flying here. General Daud, who has been gradually seeking to widen ties with the United States and balance the strong Soviet influence in Afghanistan, had asked for a high‐ranking American to make a symbolic visit, reporters on Mr. Kissinger's plane were told.
The discussions with Mr. Bhutto that will take place tomorrow—in addition to the informal talks they had at dinner tonight—underscore the growing concern in Washington about the spread of nuclear weapons.
Pakistan has one small nuclear power reactor in Karachi, built with Canadian assistance. It plans to build 24 more medium‐size nuclear power plants and has contracted with France to build a reprocessing plant.
Disavowal by Bhutto
This plant would process spent uranium rods from nuclear reactors to prepare them for re‐use as fuel, thus making the country less dependent on fuel from foreign suppliers. In the process, plutonium, which can be used for nuclear weapons, is also produced.
Mr. Bhutto has repeatedly said that Pakistan would not make a nuclear weapon, but since India used its reprocessing plant to do just that, the United States wants Pakistan —and other nations interested in reprocessing—to agree to the use of multinational reprocessing centers as an additional hedge against the spread of nuclear weapons.
According to Mr. Kissinger, Shah Mohammed Riza Pahlevi agreed in the last few days that Iran would accept multinational reprocessing so long as the United States guaranteed a source of enriched uranium for the reactors Iran will buy from the United States.
In addition, the United States agreed that if Iran had to spend extra money for reprocessing abroad because of the American concern, a way should be found to recompense Iran, either by American assumptionl of the full cost or by its being shared by the two countries.
Mr. Kissinger would like the Pakistanis to accept the Iranian formula. Since Iran and Pakistan are close allies, It is thought possible that this will happen. In his toast, President Bhutto said that if the United States regarded Iran's security as important, it had to view Pakistan's in the same way. Mr. Kissinger said In response that Pakistan could count on the United States.
Curb on Aid Feared
The Pakistanis are worried about an amendment attached to the latest foreign aid authorization bill approved by Congress that bars any aid to a country that builds a reprocessing plant.
The law has many escape clauses, however, and at the moment the $160 million a year that Pakistan receives—more than half of it in food shipments—is not in danger. But Mr. Kissinger planned to tell Mr. Bhutto that the mood in Congress was for cutting off such aid if a reprocessing plant, was built.
Since March of last year Pakistan has been eligible to buy American military equipment, but so far it has limited its purchases to antitank missiles. The Pakistanis want sophisticated aircraft, but the quantities the Government seeks are viewed as too large by Washington, which also wants to use the plane purchases as leverage on the nuclear question.
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