Elaborates a little on yesterday's post...
Pakistan has begun investigating the possible transfer to neighbouring Iran of sensitive information on nuclear technology, the country's foreign ministry said yesterday. "There are indications that certain individuals might have been motivated by personal ambition or greed, but let me add we have not made a final determination," said Masood Khan, the foreign ministry spokesman. "We have been approached by the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency]. We had been given some information by the government of Iran. The information that was shared with us pointed to certain individuals and we had to hold the debriefing sessions," added Mr Khan, referring to the cases of three nuclear scientists and Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistan's best-known nuclear expert, who the government confirmed this week had been questioned. Mr Khan said the questioning of some of the nuclear scientists began five to six weeks ago after the approach by the UN's nuclear watchdog and receipt of information from the Iranian government. Other Pakistani officials and western diplomats said the IAEA was concerned that the designs used in Iranian nuclear centrifuges bore a close resemblance to those believed to have been manufactured by Pakistan. "The similarities immediately alarmed the IAEA and they got in touch with the Pakistanis," said one western diplomat. US officials have said that they accept the assurances from the government of General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's military ruler, that leaks might have taken place before he took charge of the country in a bloodless coup in 1999.
| "Yes, yes! If there were any leaks at all — and we're sure they were minor, if there were any at all, which there probably weren't — they must have occurred when someone else was in charge..." |
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