EU to reconsider pact with Pakistan

European Commission spokesman Josep Coll I Carbo indicated that Pakistan8217;s nuclear tests, condemned by the EU and by many other countries, raised doubts about an actual signature of the agreement.

8220;We have to ask the question: What shall we do about the signing of the cooperation accord?8221; he said yesterday at the Commission8217;s daily news briefing.

He said it was up to EU ministers to decide. 8220;So we must explicitly raise this point with the council of ministers. What do you intend to do?8221; he said.

He said the EU had not yet decided on any response to Pakistan8217;s tests. EU Foreign Ministers will discuss the issue on June 8, Carbo said.

A statement from the EU8217;s current British presidency said the bloc was8220;dismayed and disappointed8221; by the Pakistani tests.

The statement said the EU would take 8220;all necessary measures8221; if Pakistan and India did not sign international nuclear non-proliferation agreements.

British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said on Thursday the EU would hold urgent consultations on extending to Pakistan punitive trade and credit measures it took against India this week in protest at nuclear testing by New Delhi.

Britain said yesterday it was recalling its ambassador from Islamabad. The British envoy had earlier delivered a strong protest to Pakistan on behalf of London and the EU. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and European Commission president Jacques Santer attended a Brussels ceremony on April 22 at which the new EU-Pakistan cooperation agreement was initialled by negotiators.

The pact, which would replace a 1986 agreement, stresses the importance of good governance and of Pakistani compliance on various trade matters and Intellectual Property Rights.

For the first time,the agreement includes a human rights clause which would allow EU officials to raise issues such as child labour with Pakistan.Atilde;iquest;