US rules out nuke cover for Pak

Pakistan is bent on milking the US for support 8212; nuclear or otherwise. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is sending two of his political allies, Akram Zaki, chairman of the foreign relations committee in the Pakistani senate, and Syeda Abida Hussain, a ambassador here and now member of his cabinet for security-related talks.

8220;A security alliance of some major proportion might have an impact on them; but I8217;ve just not heard anybody talking about that other than journalists and commentators,8221; State Department spokesman James Rubinsaid.

Rubin also said he was unaware of China extending any nuclear protection to Pakistandescribing reports to the effect as 8220;inaccurate speculation8221; and added, significantly, 8220;nor would it.8221;

The American strategic community was abuzz yesterday after President Clinton8217;s remarks in London asking Pakistan to 8220;help us work with you8230; to guarantee your security without nuclear weapons.8221;

Pakistani officials too publicly sought nuclear protection. 8220;The President has said they the US wants to work with us to address our security concerns. We would like to see what kind of work they are prepared to do to address our security concerns. If this means releasing our F-168217;s8230; I8217;m sorry, but they are trying to bribe us with something that belongs to us in the first place,8221; Zamir Akram, a senior Pakistani diplomat said yesterday.

Akram argued that Pakistan8217;s conventional capabilities have been greatly depleted by the Pressler Amendment and the asymmetries are such that it is almost impossible forPakistan to sustain a conventional war with India for any reasonable length of time.

8220;The Indians know it. Therefore, for us, the response has to be on the basis of strategic weapons,8221; he said, suggesting that the only option before Pakistan was to go overtly nuclear if Washington did not provide it with a nuclear cover like it has done for Japan. But US officials and analysts said this was an unrealistic request because it would mean the return of the Cold War geo-strategic architecture. Clinton had said in London on Monday that he did not want to see China come to Pakistan8217;s support and Russia return to India8217;s support. 8220;It is a nutty way to go,8221; he said.

Analysts also said Washington will have to take into account not only India8217;s sensitivities 8212; despite the current flap and the sanctions 8212; but will also have to contend with an inherently unstable Pakistan. 8220;A nuclear umbrella would be very unwise and very unlikely. For no other reason than the United States will not want on its hands a Pakistancapable of precipitating a confrontation with India. What happens then?8221; said Stephen Cohen, a South Asia scholar who previously advised the State Department when Pakistan sought similar cover.

Cohen said Pakistan8217;s request for security protection went back a long way. The US had considered such an option to prevent Islamabad from going nuclear, both the Carter and Reagan administrations had rejected the idea.8220;The Pakistanis inherently want to bring in outsiders. The Indians don8217;t. I don8217;t think this idea is going to get very far,8221; Cohen said. Sharif himself has been offered an official visit, but officials say it may be too risky for him to come if he gets nothing in return.