Musharraf to push Bush for similar deal as India

Pakistan on Thursday said it had no objection to the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Pakistan on Thursday said it had no objection to the Indo-US nuclear deal but would seek a similar arrangement from Washington when President George W Bush arrives in Islamabad on Saturday.

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"We have no objection. This is a deal between India and the United States," Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told reporters here reacting to the Indo-US agreement on the civilian nuclear energy cooperation.

He, however, said President Pervez Musharraf would take up the matter with Bush when the US leader arrives here after his visit to India and seek a similar arrangement for Pakistan as well.

Pakistan Foreign Office, meanwhile, said the government was examining details of the Indo-US deal but at the same time was ready to accept all "appropriate safeguards" if it gets same treatment from Washington.

"The agreement represents an important relaxation of the NSG's (Nuclear Suppliers Group's) existing guidelines and transfer of civilian nuclear technology from NSG members to non-NPT States," it said in a statement.

"Pakistan has the same claim and expectation for international cooperation under safeguards for nuclear power generation, especially because Pakistan is a fossil fuel deficit country and has a significant and fully safeguarded nuclear power generation programme," it said.