|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
 |
 |
    |
|
|
|||
 |
|
||
|
|||
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
Pakistan Has Provided Information on Relationship With Khan, Powell Says
Discussions yesterday between U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf revealed new information about the Pakistani government’s interaction with top Pakistani nuclear scientist and reported proliferator Abdul Qadeer Khan, according to the Washington Post (see GSN, March 18). During a press conference in Islamabad, Powell said yesterday he would wait before providing details on the information Musharraf gave him concerning the connections between the Pakistani government and Khan. “What I want to do is reflect on what he said to me and discuss it with some of my other colleagues back in Washington before I comment on the specifics of it,” Powell said. He also denied that the United States awarded Pakistan with the status of “major non-NATO ally” in exchange for Musharraf’s actions against Khan. “It is not a reward for A.Q. Khan. It’s part of a continuing relationship,” Powell said (Glenn Kessler, Washington Post, March 19). In his remarks yesterday, Powell said that Musharraf effectively shut down the network headed by Khan, who has confessed to providing Iran, Libya and North Korea with nuclear technology. “Khan is not giving anything to anybody any more,” Powell said. “He is essentially secluded in his home,” he added. While Pakistan is sharing information learned from Khan, the United States has not been given direct access to the scientist, Powell said. “We’re getting a ‘fill’ at the moment,” he said. “I don’t think there’s been any direct access. But we’re getting information,” Powell added (Barbara Slavin, USA Today, March 19).
| ||||||||||
Back to top
