Pakistan claims the right to civil nuclear technology
Mihaela PADUREANU
February 22, 2010
Pakistan`s PM, Yousuf Raza Gilani said in a meeting with European ambassadors that Pakistan should have the same access to civil nuclear tehnology as India has. He also stated that the relationship between EU and Pakistan will have to be developed „on a stand-alone basis and not for reasons of contiguity with... Afghanistan". The remarks were made on a meeting with a group of Europeen ambassadors. The PM gladly received the EU`s Action Plan for Paksitan and the involvement made to help Pakistan`s development. (Times of India, Associated Press of Pakistan)
The EU Action Plan for Pakistan (and Afghanistan) was released in octomber 2009. The Plan`s goal is to improve the relation between Pakistan and EU through „dedicated dialogue (…) including a possible free trade agreement”. We can see that this liberal approach is trying to assure gains for the both partners: in 2007 EU goods exports to Pakistan represented €3.8 billion and EU goods imports from Pakistan represented €3.4 billion. But Pakistan wants more than economic cooperation from the EU. As the PM stated, Pakistan seeks the right to civil nuclear technology. The remark was made based on the way in which India is treated. Can this right be formally recognised to a country which has Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)? According to the USAID audit for FATA Development Program, 66% of the population in that area lives below the national poverty line while the literacy rate is of only 17%. Institutions-building was the first way to increase the stability in that area. But according to the report this goal was not achieved yet. The second way was to increase the NGOs capacity to promote good governance. For this purpose some progress has been made. UNAID report makes some recommendations to NGOs and institutions to help improve the program. What we can ask when we have this information is: should a state in this situation have the right to use nuclear technology, even for civil use? Pakistan control over its nuclear arsenal raseid concers often. But know plans to increse its nuclear power program.
When we talk about a state we assume that the control over state’s territory is already gained. That is why the problems in the FATA region have consequences on the control over nuclear arms. The FATA` s proximity to Afghanistan complicates the situation even more. The terrorist organisations are able to recruit members from there making even harder the control over that area. The EU Action Plan selects five methodes to improve the relationship to Pakistan. The first one is to help implementation of the Development Strategy for Malakand. Strategy’s first pillar is security, rule of law and governance. Here we can see that USAID` s report will offer some information to help implement this goal. In the same time this step includes that the EU financial aid is supposed to be used to improve the economy development and the regional economic integration. For the regional economic integration were created responses such as the Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement. The second method is to strengthen cooperation on security sector reform and rule of law. Assistance and support are going to be offered and EU will sustain the Pakistan’s effort to implement the national counter-terrorism strategy. The third method is to cooperate on democracy and human rights. For this it will be necessary to have UN` s help too – through forums and through Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review recommendations. The fourth method refers to cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation. This method is the one less developed although may be considered the most important. And the last tool is to enhance cooperation on socio-economic development.
On 25th February will be held a meeting between the Pakistan foreign secretary and Indian foreign secretary. As India is developing its nuclear capacity Pakistan, although with so many internal problems, as shown above, wants to be treated in the same way as India by EU (and by US). This will rise the question: how can Pakistan ensure the international community that those capabilities won`t be available to terrorist organisations? Pakistan receives aid from EU and seeks greater cooperation with US while still having areas controled by tribes. As long as the Pakistan`s progress is so slow EU, as well as US should stress the cooperation on building institutions and building people`s trust in those institutions. The region already has states with difficult problems: Afghanistan, Iran, Irak On the other hand Pakistan should be assured that will have a fair treatment from the international community.
