With the US raising serious concerns over China's proposed assistance to Pakistan for setting up two nuclear reactors, the New Zealand government is also being urged to oppose the deal and do "what's right" at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) meeting here on Thursday (June 24).
The United States and China are expected to clash at the international NSG meeting over China's proposal to build two nuclear reactors in Punjab's Chashma province, which already houses two of Pakistan's nuclear reactors.
Bejing has been arguing that the US itself had sidelined the NSG to ink a civil nuclear deal with India in 2008, however, Labour disarmament spokesman Phil Twyford stressed that just because Washington "got away with it in 2008, that did not mean China should."
"The fact that the US and China are two of the most powerful nations on Earth and are two of our biggest trading partners shouldn't stop the Government from doing what's right and opposing this deal," Stuff.co. nz quoted Twyford, as saying.
"It's a litmus test of the Government's ability to pursue our national interest," he added.
Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Washington -based Arms Control Association, said that New Zealand must speak up on the issue, as the deal could 'indirectly' help countries like India and Pakistan make nuclear weapons.
No comments:
Post a Comment