GERMAN INQUIRY ON CHINA - PAKISTAN NUCLEAR COOPERATION

SECRET S E C R E T BERLIN 001509 SIPDIS SCARA FOR MCCLELLAN ISNRA FOR FISHER E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2033 TAGS: KNNP, KNUC, PREL, PK, CH, GM SUBJECT: GERMAN INQUIRY ON CHINA - PAKISTAN NUCLEAR COOPERATION REF: STATE 117570 Classified By: Global Affairs Unit Chief Don L. Brown, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 1. (U) This is an action request, see paragraph 5. 2. (S) On the margins of an unrelated meeting, German MFA Desk Officer Joerg Polster requested any releasable information on a reported China - Pakistan civil nuclear agreement under which China would provide two new nuclear power plants to Pakistan. (Note: Polster, a physicist, is a technical assistant and advisor to MFA Deputy Director General, Ambassador Viktor Elbling, who serves as current chair of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). End Note). 3. (S) Specifically, Polster asked if the U.S. had any reliable information about the reported agreement and sought U.S. views on what Germany, as chair of the NSG could do about it. Further, Polster speculated about Germany approaching the Chinese directly but was uncertain if that would be possible and what the Chinese response might be. Polster said he thought the Chinese might deny the existence of the agreement, or perhaps claim that this deal, like their prior agreement with Pakistan, was excepted under NSG rules. 4. (S) At the root of Polster's inquiry is the belief that China has no right under existing NSG agreements to provide additional nuclear plants to Pakistan. He stated that he fears that if this deal proceeds it has serious implications for the future of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. 5. (S) Post would appreciate any guidance or information on this subject that we can release to Germany. KOENIG