Nuke link with Pakistan likely to be sidestepped

With disclosures about how China gave Pakistan enough enriched uranium in 1982 to make two bombs, Obama may take up the proliferation issue with China when he visits Beijing on Tuesday. However, it will only be a token measure, and no confrontation with China can be expected.

The US needs China to pull itself out of the economic slowdown. The disclosures will simply wash off as the US is much more focused on adopting a policy of “strategic reassurance” when it comes to Beijing.

“I am confident that if asked by the media, Obama will reflect awareness of the issue, but this is far from a priority concern in Washington today,” said Douglas H Paal, vice-president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 

“In 1982, China’s proliferation behaviour was not up to NPT standards, as documented by Obama’s advisor Evan Medeiros in his most recent book. Today, China has a very different and more responsible policy in this area,” added Paal who has served as senior Asia adviser to the Reagan and Bush administrations.