Don’t move in wrong direction while making military doctrines

Obama urges Pakistan, India

Asks both countries to reduce nukes; Pakistan seeks integration in the

multilateral export control regimes; Nuclear Summit concludes

WASHINGTON: The fourth and final Nuclear Security Summit concluded here on Friday but not without mentioning Pakistan and India’s growing nuclear stockpile and an urge to reduce it.

US President Barack Obama called for the need to make progress in reducing the nuclear arsenal and asked both the countries not to “continually move in the wrong direction.”

“I think we need to see progress in Pakistan and India, that the subcontinent, making sure as they develop military doctrines, that they are not continually moving in the wrong direction,” Obama told a press conference at the end of the Nuclear Security Summit.

The summit was a success for Obama with an open and obvious challenge to further reduce nuclear material, “One of the challenges that we’re going to have here is that it is very difficult to see huge reductions in our nuclear arsenal unless the United States and Russia, as the two largest possessors of nuclear weapons, are prepared to lead the way,” he said.

Last month US Secretary of State John Kerry also cited the example of US and Russia working to further reduce their nuclear arsenal, while urging Pakistan to review its nuclear policy. Pakistan has a clear position on the issue that its tactical weapons are for deterrence and tagged any decision to reduce them with India acting on it first.

President Obama pointed out the Korean Peninsula saying that “North Korea is in a whole different category and poses the most immediate set of concerns for all of us, one that we are working internationally to focus on,” he said.

Obama said that was one of the reasons he had a trilateral meeting with Japan and Korea, adding that it was a major topic of discussion with his Chinese counterpart as well.

The Obama administration has also appeared willing to help Pakistan and India take Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to reduce the terrorism threat especially in the wake of growing nuclear arsenals.

Meanwhile, Pakistan argued its case to qualify for full integration in the multilateral export control regimes based on the fact that it had been successfully running a safe, secure and safeguarded civil nuclear programme for more than 40 years, without any unfortunate incident.

Speaking at the lunch meeting of the Nuclear Security Summit, Special Assistant to PM on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi said that a policy of inclusiveness, rather than erecting barriers to the participation of a wider circle of responsible states would serve far better the common goals of strengthening global nuclear security.

Post-NSS 2016 focus should be on broadening participation in the effort towards promoting nuclear security through the platform of the IAEA, which has primacy and the competence in handling matters related to nuclear security, he suggested. “Even though the existing international nuclear security framework is elaborate and provides for concerted international and institutional actions to strengthen nuclear security, recent events have confirmed that much more needs to be done,” he said.

He also commended the Summit deliberations, and called them appropriate, relevant and one to which Pakistan gives great importance. “Pakistan takes its responsibilities related to nuclear safety and security very seriously,” he said adding “Our nuclear security regime is effective, dynamic and responsive to the entire range of threats.”

“With the IAEA at its center, the framework ensures balance between the principle of national responsibility and the need for coordination and voluntary exchanges of experience, expertise and best practices, he said while underlining that “Pakistan, being a responsible nuclear power, is party to several international instruments relevant to nuclear safety and security. Within the framework of these instruments and the IAEA activities and programmes, Pakistan is committed to international cooperation consistent with our national priorities.”

The elements of nuclear security in Pakistan include robust command and control system under the National Command Authority, rigorous regulatory regime, comprehensive export controls and cooperation with IARA and other countries, he explained.

Fatemi further said, “Our export controls are consistent with those being implemented by the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), and the Australia Group (AG). As well, Pakistan’s Center of Excellence on Nuclear Security continues to grow into a regional and international hub.”

International and institutional actions are shaped and determined by national nuclear security measures. If states adopt strong measures at the national level, nuclear security will be enhanced globally as well, he maintained.