The dangers of exempting nations from the NSG

The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) — a club of 48 countries that controls the trade of materials and equipment that could be used for making nuclear weapons — will meet in Seoul on June 23 and 24. However, the NSG plenary session is expected to face a tough task this time as both Pakistan and India are vying for membership despite being non-signatories to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) — a pre-condition to qualify for NSG membership.

United States President Barack Obama formally announced his support last week for India to attend the NSG meeting, exempting it from signing the NPT. At the same time, Pakistan has also formally asked the US administration and US Congress to support its application to join the group, telling the US not to show discrimination against Pakistan because it would create a strategic imbalance in the region. Pakistan’s application seeking NSG membership is likely to lead to a showdown within the group. While the US is backing India, China is against granting India an exemption to become an NSG member without signing the NPT. Both nuclear powers, Pakistan and India, are now lobbying around the world to achieve their target to be NSG members.

The NSG was set up in 1974 in response to India’s first nuclear test. Pakistan is now seeking a level playing field at the NSG as India already enjoys most of the benefits of membership under a 2008 exemption to the group’s rules, which were granted to support New Delhi’s nuclear deal with Washington, even though in its application to the NSG chairman, Pakistan stated that the country has the expertise, manpower, infrastructure, as well as the ability to supply NSG-controlled items, goods and services for a full range of nuclear applications for peaceful purposes. Pakistan also submitted a formal application in Vienna last month, expressing its desire to join the group, but the US administration and Congress are both unwilling to support Pakistan.

In a letter to the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Pakistan’s Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani reminded Congress that Pakistan had taken a series of steps that qualify it to join the NSG. The letter reads: “Pakistan’s desire to participate in the NSG stands on solid grounds of technical experience, capability and well-established commitment to nuclear safety. Pakistan has operated secure and safeguarded nuclear power plants for over 42 years. Safe and sustainable civil nuclear energy is essential for Pakistan’s future energy security and its economic development,” he added.

In the letter, Pakistan expressed its willingness to accept the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) safeguards on all foreign-supplied nuclear reactors and nuclear materials similar to the current IAEA safeguards that are in place on all of Pakistan’s civilian nuclear facilities. Pakistan argued that its presence in the NSG was in the interest of nuclear trading countries, as it would further promote NSG non-proliferation objectives by the inclusion of a state with nuclear supply capabilities and its adherence to the NSG guidelines.

The letter further read: “Pakistan has consistently maintained that criteria-based, non-discriminatory approach, which treats both Pakistan and India equally, while also simultaneously binding them to appropriate non-proliferation commitments, will not only strengthen the non-proliferation regime, but also promote strategic stability in South Asia.”

In such a situation, the NSG should adopt a non-discriminatory and equitable approach to admitting new members to help South Asia achieve a safer and more prosperous future. Granting exclusive NSG membership to only one non-NPT country will adversely affect progress in non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament measures at the multilateral level, as well as hamper regional peace, security and stability.

As tension between the nuclear-powered neighbours is quite high these days and even the peace talks between them have been suspended, the NSG should deal with them on equal grounds as the exemption to only one non-NPT country will gravely impact the strategic balance in the region. The policy of selectivity and discrimination against Pakistan has already emboldened a dismissive attitude towards Pakistan’s peace overtures.

The NSG’s credibility will also be in question if it adopts a discriminatory and selective approach to accommodate a particular country for strategic and commercial considerations. Leaders of the 48 countries meeting in Seoul this week must consider political and security implications before accepting credentials of any country for the NSG membership and if they don’t do this, it will defeat the purpose of NSG’s creation in 1970s.