US Think Tanks Ask Pak to Sign Test Ban Treaty Without Waiting for India

Washington: Amidst talk of a possible US-Pak civil nuclear deal, two top US think-tanks have asked Pakistan to take five initiatives, including signing the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) without waiting for India, to win the confidence of the international community.

"We propose that Pakistan consider five nuclear weapon-related initiatives," said Stimson Center and Carnegie Endowment for International Relations (CEIP).

"One: shift declaratory policy from 'full spectrum' to 'strategic' deterrence. Two: commit to a recessed deterrence posture and limit production of short-range delivery vehicles and tactical nuclear weapons," the two think-tanks said.

"Three: Lift Pakistan's veto on Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty negotiations and reduce or stop fissile material production," they said.

"Four: Separate civilian and military nuclear facilities. And finally: Sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty without waiting for India," they said.

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The think-tanks presented the findings ahead of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's visit to the US and his talks with US President Barack Obama on October 22.

These recommendations were first proposed in a detailed report by Stimson's Michael Krepon and CEIP's Toby Dalton, in which they argued that these steps being taken by Islamabad would advance Pakistan's national, social, and economic security interests.

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Earlier this month, India had reacted to reports of a US-Pak civil nuclear deal by saying, "We have seen these reports and it is not for the first time this issue has surfaced. Whosoever is examining that particular dossier should be well aware of Pakistan's track record in the area of proliferation. And when India got this particular deal it was on the basis of our own impeccable non-proliferation track record."