Information obtained from accused Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan suggests North Korea began to pursue a highly enriched uranium program for nuclear weapons several years earlier than originally thought, US officials said yesterday. The officials, interviewed by Reuters, cited this disclosure as evidence that Pakistan has been cooperative in sharing with Washington the secrets of Khanâs global network that sold nuclear technology to Iran, North Korea and Libya. US allegations about an HEU program are central to six-party talks on North Koreaâs nuclear program and US officials said they have used Khanâs information to buttress their case with their negotiating partners. But officials also said that five weeks after Khan confessed his deeds, the United States still has not had direct access to the disgraced scientist, who is known as the father of Pakistanâs nuclear program.
| And if Perv can get away with it we won't. Could even involve another "heart attack." |
Khan presumably could provide concrete answers to many key questions including whether he sold nuclear weapon designs to Iran, which claims its program is only peaceful. Some US sources said the Bush administration was unhappy with Pakistanâs cooperation but a senior US official said these reports are âhighly exaggerated.â
| "Yeah. I don't think you could precisely call it 'unhappy.' Rolling our eyes, heaving a heavy sigh, and getting ready to punch Perv is probably more accurate." |
Asked if Islamabadâs cooperation was sufficient, the senior official squirted coffee out his nose and replied: âI think we think it is an ongoing process.â
| "These guys are so prone to the runaround they're permanently dizzy!" |
âWe get regular briefings from the Pakistanis about what they are finding out and have been able to share this with other partners in the six-party talksâ on the Northâs nuclear program, he said. But a second senior official said: âWe donât know what Khan has... Weâve been told that itâs coming.â
| My hair's growing back, too. And my gut is definately smaller... |
âThe Pakistanis are going to give us what they feel like giving us,â a third US source said. Secretary of State Colin Powell is due to visit Pakistan as part of a South Asia trip next week and he is expected to discuss Khan and related proliferation issues with President Pervez Musharraf and other officials. |