SOURCE:- NDTV.com: No foreigners' access to Pak nuclear assets
No foreigners' access to Pak nuclear assets
Pakistan will not give any country access to its strategic nuclear assets in order to safeguard its national interests, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Thursday.
Referring to media reports about the US seeking the accreditation of an official with Pakistan's National Command Authority (NCA), Qureshi said: ''These are national assets and there will be no compromise on (this issue).''
He made it clear that no foreign official would be given any sort of access to the country's nuclear assets. ''National interests come first,'' Qureshi told reporters.
Media reports had said that the US government had sought the accreditation of an official to be posted at the American embassy here with the NCA, the body that controls Pakistan's nuclear arsenal.
The NCA comprises the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Defence Minister and top civil and military officials.
Pakistan's Foreign Office said on Wednesday that there is also no system to accredit foreign officials with the Strategic Plans Division, the tri-services body that maintains the nuclear arsenal and functions as the NCA.
While decisions on the use of atomic weapons will be made by the NCA, the actual launch of the weapons is the responsibility of the SPD.
No foreigners' access to Pak nuclear assets
Pakistan will not give any country access to its strategic nuclear assets in order to safeguard its national interests, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Thursday.
Referring to media reports about the US seeking the accreditation of an official with Pakistan's National Command Authority (NCA), Qureshi said: ''These are national assets and there will be no compromise on (this issue).''
He made it clear that no foreign official would be given any sort of access to the country's nuclear assets. ''National interests come first,'' Qureshi told reporters.
Media reports had said that the US government had sought the accreditation of an official to be posted at the American embassy here with the NCA, the body that controls Pakistan's nuclear arsenal.
The NCA comprises the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Defence Minister and top civil and military officials.
Pakistan's Foreign Office said on Wednesday that there is also no system to accredit foreign officials with the Strategic Plans Division, the tri-services body that maintains the nuclear arsenal and functions as the NCA.
While decisions on the use of atomic weapons will be made by the NCA, the actual launch of the weapons is the responsibility of the SPD.
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