Pakistani leader rejects nuclear inspections, promises missile test

[Barrett808]

Pakistan would never allow foreign inspectors to monitor its nuclear facilities and has no intention of freezing its nuclear or missile programmes, President Pervez Musharraf said.

Musharraf said Pakistan's investigation of the smuggling ring centred around scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan so far indicated that only designs for centrifuges to enrich uranium to weapons-grade material had been leaked to Iran.

And he emphatically denied reports Pakistan had traded nuclear technology for North Korean ballistic missile technology, saying Pakistan paid cash for North Korean surface-to-surface missiles in 2002.

"Why should Pakistan be expected to allow anybody to inspect?" Musharraf told the London-based Financial Times in an interview published Wednesday.

"We are not hiding anything ... what is the need of any inspection," said Musharraf, who was head of the armed forces before seizing power in a bloodless coup in 1999.

(more)

http://www.spacewar.com/2004/040218020719.x95h10ss.html

[priller]

1. What an ally!

Dubya sure can pick 'em, can't he? Pisses off stable, long-time friends like Germany and France, and buddies up to nuclear proliferator and probably Osama-hider Musharraf. And, of course, Pootie-poot is a swell guy, too!

[dArKeR]

2. Pakistan's 'COUP' leader. Let's remind the Media Whores who seems to

have forgotten. 'COUP' leader and self-appointed President who was barred from all western nations for his actions. That is, until the Repuke Coup overthrew the USA.

[Bandit]

3. "We are not hiding anything ... what is the need of any inspection,"

Is this Bush* speaking? Isn't it amazing how much alike our dictator and their dictator sound.

[BlueEyedSon]

4. Good thing we kicked Iraq's ass when they were uncooperative!

See how all the WMD-wielding nations fall right in line?