China backs Pak''s ''engagement'' with Nuclear Suppliers Group

Beijing, June 4

China has said it backs Pakistan's "engagement" with the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) even as it maintained that acceptance of the NPT was a standard to admit new member-states in the 48-nation grouping.

"China has noted Pakistan's aspirations for NSG membership. Pakistan has taken steps towards its mainstreaming into the global non-proliferation regime," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing.

"We support Pakistan's engagement with the NSG, and hope such efforts could be conducive to the authority and effectiveness of the international non-proliferation regime. We wish to strengthen communication and coordination with Pakistan," she said yesterday.

At the same time, she said: "It is the long-standing consensus of the international community that the NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) is the cornerstone of the regime".

She was replying to a question on how China views Pakistan's aspirations for NSG membership at the NSG plenary meeting being held in Argentina.

"In fact, besides Pakistan, there are other non-NPT states who have expressed similar aspirations," she said in an apparent reference to India's interest to become NSG member.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit last month here asked China to back India's membership to the NSG and the permanent membership of the UN Security Council.

"This raises an issue to the international community, that is, whether non-NPT states are in the position to join the NSG. China believes that this issue deserves thorough discussion among NSG member states in accordance with relevant rules, thus, to make a decision by consensus," she said.

India and Pakistan have not signed the NPT. PTI