【10.04.13印度时报】Will Hu back Pakistan at Nuclear Summit?

青蛙小王子

http://toi.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World-China/Will-Hu-back-Pakistan-at-Nuclear-Summit/articleshow/5788642.cms

BEIJING: Chinese president Hu Jintao left on Monday morning for the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington amidst expectations in Islamabad and Tehran that he would voice support for their nuclear programs. Hu’s speech at will be watched closely in New Delhi and elsewhere because of the Summit is viewed as a test for China’s policy towards nuclear capable nations.

China plays a dual, and sometimes conflicting roles in the nuclear arena. It enjoys the privileges of being in the exclusive club of five official nuclear weapons states but takes an altogether different stand compared to other powers like the United States on critical issues concerning the nuclear ambitions of Iran, Pakistan and India.

Pakistani officials were recently quoted in its newspapers as saying that China would express support for a proposal for a nuclear deal between Washington and Islamabad on the same lines as the Indo-US deal. Though this appears implausible, the reports suggest the high level of expectations in Pakistan about Chinese support.

“Moreover, given the nature of its agenda, i.e. understanding and preventing nuclear terrorism, deteriorating situation of another US ally – Pakistan – is expected to come under scrutiny,” Swaran Singh, professor of diplomacy and disarmament at the Jawaharlal Nehru University said in a recent article about the Summit.

The crucial test for Beijing will be on what stand it takes about worries in the western world that Pakistan could become the source of nuclear terrorism involving the likes of Al Qaeda. Discussing these concerns, an article in Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper recently said:

“The story line is ridiculous...There is no evidence that Al Qaeda is one of them. But the hype about the insecurity of Pakistan’s nuclear assets continues. The western media and commentators raise doubts about Pakistan being a viable state, the possibility of its nuclear weapons falling into terrorists’ hands and A.Q. Khan episode being repeated,” it said.

China has also been trying to evoke sympathy among the nuclear underdogs by consistently opposing Washington’s moves to impose sanctions on Iran while pleading for more dialogue with Tehran.

"We hope common ground can be increased between all participants, and that they will pay greater attention to nuclear security, and work together to safeguard international peace and security," Chinese vice foreign minister Cui Tiankai said last week. Cui said China hoped the summit would push international cooperation to ensure safety of nuclear materials and facilities, as well as the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

After the summit, the Chinese president will attend the second summit of the BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China - scheduled for April 15- 16 in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia.