By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan Foreign Minister said on Thursday the government will not give any foreign country access to its strategic nuclear assets.
Local media has reported that the US State Department has sought the accreditation of an official to be the American embassy here with the Nuclear Command Authority (NCA), the body that controls Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.
“These are national assets and there will be no compromise on the issue,” Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told a news conference.
Qureshi made the remarks when his attention was drawn to media reports about the US seeking the accreditation of an official with Pakistan’s National Command Authority.
The Foreign minister said that no foreign official would be given any sort of access to the country’s nuclear assets.
“National interests come first,” Qureshi said.
The NCA comprises the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Defence Minister and top civil and military officials.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said today 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.
To a question the Foreign Minister said China has reaffirmed its support for enhancing civil nuclear cooperation and hopefully Pakistan would be able to generate 8800 MW nuclear electricity by 2030.