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Rediff.com  » News » Pakistan notifies ban on nuclear exports

Pakistan notifies ban on nuclear exports

December 28, 2005 19:28 IST
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Pakistan has notified the control lists of goods, technologies, materials and equipment related to nuclear and biological weapons and their delivery systems, which will be subject to strict export controls.

The control lists have been notified pursuant to the 'Export Control Act on Goods, Technologies, Materials and Equipment related to Nuclear and Biological Weapons and their Delivery Systems', which was adopted by Parliament in September 2004, a Foreign Office statement said.

The control lists adopted by Pakistan encompass the lists and scope of export controls maintained by the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Australia Group that relates to biological agents and toxins and the Missile Technology Control Regime.

The classification system is based on the European Union's integrated list, which constitutes the latest international standard in this regard, said the statement.

Lists controlling the exports of chemical weapons-related agents and their delivery system are already being maintained by Pakistan pursuant to the Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Ordinance 2000.

The statement added that notification of the control lists further highlights Pakistan's policy to implement its national and international non-proliferation commitments as a responsible nuclear weapons state.

The lists are being notified to all concerned, including manufacturers of such goods and technologies as well as to the enforcement agencies for effective controls at the borders.

Pakistan, in view of growing energy needs for development and scarcity of natural fossil fuel reserves, under its national energy plan, plans to generate 8800 MW of nuclear power by  2025 through the setting up of additional nuclear power plants, under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.

All of Pakistan's existing nuclear power generation plants are under IAEA safeguards. Effective and robust export controls should also facilitate international cooperation in the area of civilian nuclear technology under safeguards.

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Source: source