By Philip Iglauer
Pakistan is focused on assuaging global concern over the safety and security of its nuclear materials and management of its nuclear power plants at the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit, which kicked off Monday for a two-day run.
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, leading a 30-person delegation that includes Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, Ambassador to China Masood Khan and Ambassador to the United States Sherry Rehman, is seeking to showcase to the world his nation’s “efficient command and control over its stocks of nuclear materials” at the largest global gathering on nuclear security ever.
Gilani spoke directly to the concerns of the leaders of 53 nations and four international organizations in a keynote address Monday night over Pakistan’s nuclear security.
But Gilani is equally concentrating on bilateral meet ups on the margins of the global nuke confab. Gilani said he will hold talks with U.S. President Barack Obama today.
The discussions will center around the proposals formulated by a Parliamentary Committee on National Security and the currently on-going debate on those proposal in the South Asian nation's parliament to hit the reset button on U.S.-Pakistan ties.
“After the NATO attack on the (Salala) check post on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan, relations became very tense,” said Gilani who, having completed his fourth year, is the Pakistan's longest-serving democratically elected prime minister.
“We have decided to have new rules of engagement and of cooperation with the U.S. We have presented recommendations to the house, and now they have become the property of the house. I think from today the debate there is on-going," he said, referring to the parliamentary procedure there.
Policymakers in Pakistan are also acutely concerned about a possible strategic imbalance in the region resulting from a recently inked U.S.-lndia civil nuclear agreement.
The U.S. backed a waiver, which was later approved by the exclusive 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group, allows India to conduct civilian nuclear commerce without being a member of the Non-proliferation Treaty.
“Pakistan is a front line state fighting against extremism and terrorism. We are on the border of Afghanistan,” he said, talkin about his meeting with Obama. “Therefore the main focus will be on Afghanistan and on Pakistan and especially on terrorism and extremism, and Pakistan’s role in political reconciliation in Afghanistan.”
Pakistan has been hard pressed to prove that it deserves membership in the NSG. Pakistan has established an emergency response mechanism, deployed special nuclear material portals at key exit and entry points for checking illicit trafficking of nuclear material, and made successful stress tests of nuclear plants.
“We have long experience ― a history of 37 years, managing nuclear power plants. People are concerned about nuclear security and safety. We have done a lot of work on this,” he said.
Both India and Pakistan scored miserably on the Nuclear Threat Initiative’s Nuclear Security Index, which measures 32 nations possessing 1 kilogram of nuclear materials or more, India ranked 5th worst in the world with a score of 49 and Pakistan 2nd worst with a score of 41.
“We have a very effective command and control authority. We have developed a state of the art institution and we have become very efficient. And there is still room for improvement,”Gilani said. “Therefore we really want to become a member, but at the same time, there’s a request, let’s see.”
Other important bilateral engagements for Pakistan include those with Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Jordan and Turkey.
He said he will return to Pakistan Wednesday to re-join the crucial debate in parliament on Pakistan’s U.S. partnership in the War on Terror.
On that partnership, Gilani said, “There are lots of ups and downs in a relationship, but we know the importance. We want to work together, but on mutual respect and mutual interest.”
ephilip2011@koreatimes.co.kr