Indo-US nuclear deal will be detrimental for South Asia: Aziz

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's top national security and foreign affairs adviser said on Tuesday that a new nuclear deal signed between the US and India during President Barak Obama’s recent trip to New Delhi will be detrimental to stability in South Asia.

India reached a civil nuclear agreement with the US during Obama’s visit on Sunday, giving it access to civilian nuclear technology and breaking a deadlock that has stalled the deal for years.

"The operationalisation of Indo-US nuclear deal for political and economic expediencies would have a detrimental impact on deterrence stability in South Asia," Advisor to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said in a statement Tuesday.

Aziz described the new deal with India as “another country-specific exemption from Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG) rules” that would undermine the credibility of the watchdog, weaken the non-proliferation regime and "further compound the already fragile strategic stability environment in South Asia".

"Pakistan remains opposed to policies of selectivity and discrimination," he added.

He said Pakistan would continue to maintain its constructive engagement with NSG and other export control regimes to build its case for membership.

Aziz also referred to Pakistan’s policy on reforms in the UN security Council, saying: “Pakistan favours a comprehensive reform of the Security Council to make this principal organ of the UN more representative, democratic, effective, transparent and accountable.”

“A country, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions on matters of international peace and security, such as the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, by no means qualifies for a special status in the Security Council.”