Expectations for civilian nuclear deal dampened by US

Shortly before the US-Pak strategic Dialogue in Washington in the last week of March, Richard Holbrooke, US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, had cautioned Islamabad against unnecessarily ratcheting up its hopes for a deal similar to the one Washington had signed with New Delhi. - Photo by Reuters.

ISLAMABAD: The United States wants Pakistan to address its immediate energy needs instead of pinning its hopes on a civilian nuclear deal similar to the one Washington has finalised with India. “We have started discussions on the civilian nuclear energy deal and we will continue them but Pakistan’s energy crisis needs immediate attention and for that we are working on plans that can come to fruition in the short term,” Gerald Feierstein, US deputy chief of mission, told a group of journalists on Thursday.

The warning from the US embassy came on the heels of Islamabad’s recent efforts to build a case for a civilian nuclear deal. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, during the 17th meeting of the National Command Authority, argued Pakistan’s case for a civilian nuclear deal by pointing out that the country was qualified for civil nuclear cooperation at the international level.

He then added that nuclear power generation was an essential part of the national energy security strategy. He reiterated this stand two days later, on Wednesday, at the meeting of the parliamentary committee on national security.

A day after the parliamentary committee’s meeting, Feierstein held the interaction with the media, driving home the point that a civilian nuclear deal was not a dream about to come true soon.

He explained that American assistance for Pakistan’s energy needs would comprise three phases. The first two, he said, included rehabilitating the existing electricity generating infrastructure; improving energy conservation; fixing the power distribution system; and developing additional capacity to produce electricity. The nuclear programme, he made it clear, was not part of the first two phases.

He further said that the projects for the first phase had been identified while Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would announce the ones for the second phase during her trip to Pakistan later this year. The second phase is believed to include construction of new dams and establishment of renewable energy projects.

“The nuclear deal,” he said, “if it ever happened, would take place in the third phase.” This last phase, the deputy chief warned, were “long term”.

Feierstein’s statement was not surprising as American officials have continuously dampened Pakistani hopes for a civilian nuclear deal. Shortly before the US-Pak strategic Dialogue in Washington in the last week of March, Richard Holbrooke, US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, had cautioned Islamabad against unnecessarily ratcheting up its hopes for a deal similar to the one Washington had signed with New Delhi.

However, it appears that this media briefing was not just prompted by Prime Minister Gilani’s pronouncements alone. It may have also been instigated by media reports that appeared on Wednesday, which suggested that China would support Pakistan’s demands for a civilian nuclear deal at the nuclear summit to be held in Washington next week.

US diplomats are clearly displeased with the possibility of a joint Sino-Pak stand at the upcoming summit.

Source: http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/national/19-civilian-nuclear-deal-us-moves-to-dampen-expectations-940-hh-01