NSG membership to India worries Pakistan – Here's the reason

Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday said that creating exception to grant India membership of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) would adversely impact the non-proliferation regime and regional peace and stability, as it demanded an equitable, non-discriminatory approach for admitting new members.

Addressing the weekly press briefing here, Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Qazi Khalilullah said that grant of exclusive NSG membership to India as an exception, on account of political and commercial considerations, would adversely affect the credibility of non-proliferation regime.

"It would also bear negative implications for regional peace and security," he said.

If successful, India would be the only member of the suppliers' group that has not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), a 189-nation treaty set up four decades ago to prevent nation states from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Pakistan had demanded that NSG should follow an objective, equitable and non-discriminatory approach for admitting new members.

The spokesman said that Pakistan welcomes the recent remarks made by the NSG chair, ambassador Rafael Grossi, widely reported in India during his visit last month, wherein he ruled out a tailor made India-specific solution for NSG membership.

This means that countries such as Israel and Pakistan, who too haven't signed the NPT, could also apply for its membership.

The spokesman said that Pakistan has briefed the 48-member NSG about its strong credentials for the membership.

In this regard, the NSG Chair has circulated a document amongst all NSG members elaborating Pakistan's point of view, he said.

Besides, a high-level Pakistani delegation also held a constructive meeting with NSG in Vienna and Pakistan will continue to call for the adoption of a non-discriminatory and objective criteria-based approach on expansion of NSG membership for non-NPT countries, he added.

Talking about resumption of peace talks with India, he said Pakistan wanted talks on all issues but without any pre-conditions.

"Our position on dialogue with India is very clear. Let me reiterate that we remain ready to discuss all outstanding issues with India including Kashmir, if no pre-conditions are attached by India," he said.