NYT/Reuters: Pakistan Tries to Shed Khan Nuclear Proliferation Stigma

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Pakistan Tries to Shed Khan Proliferation Stigma
By REUTERS
Published: October 23, 2006

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pakistan wants to put the "sordid chapter'' of proliferation by nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan behind it and build civilian nuclear ties with the United States, a senior military official said on Monday.

He added, however, that for "reasons of national sensitivity,'' the father of Pakistan's nuclear bomb could not be made available for direct questioning over his sale of nuclear parts and secrets to states including Iran, Libya and North Korea.

"We look forward to life beyond that episode,'' said the Pakistani official in a briefing on Pakistan's nuclear safeguards to a small group of reporters in Washington at which he requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Khan admitted in 2004 to operating a worldwide network that proliferated nuclear technology. He was placed under house arrest in Islamabad and avoided more severe punishment.

The Pakistan government has refused to allow U.S. investigators to have direct access to the disgraced scientist and says it has shared all information about Khan's network. The United States says it would like answers to a number of other questions....

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-nuclear-pakistan-usa.html