![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]()
Washington (AFP) Jul 24, 2006 The United States on Monday confirmed but played down news reports that Pakistan is building a powerful new nuclear reactor and urged Islamabad not to use the facility for military purposes. "We have been aware of these plans and we discourage any use of that facility for military purposes such as weapons development," White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters. The Washington Post, citing US-based nuclear experts reported that the reactor could produce enough plutonium for 40 to 50 nuclear weapons a year, a 20-fold increase from Pakistan's current capabilities. "Pakistan of course is outside the non proliferation treaty and therefore they do develop their capabilities independently," Snow said. The move could signal a potential new escalation in the region's arms race between pits nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan. The construction site is adjacent to Pakistan's only plutonium production reactor, a 50-megawatt unit that began operating in 1998, it said. By contrast, the dimensions of the new reactor suggest a capacity of 1,000 megawatts or more, according to the analysis by the Institute for Science and International Security, it said. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links
![]() ![]() North Korea will meet South Korea on the sidelines of an Asian forum this week but is unwilling to join six-nation talks on Pyongyang's nuclear programme, Malaysia's foreign minister said Monday. |
![]() |
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |