China to investigate selling of nuclear secrets

The Chinese authorities are launching an investigation into new evidence that China supplied nuclear secrets to Pakistan in the early 1980s.

US government officials say material recently handed over to the United States by Libya includes documents purchased from Pakistani nuclear scientists. These documents were allegedly supplied to Pakistan by the Chinese in the 1980s.

If the reports turn out to be true, this means China was in violation of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. In its first official statement on the issue, the Chinese government has not denied the accusations.

No, what will happen is a couple of guys who are of little use will be selected as scapegoats and shot for their efforts - with bills sent for the bullets (real nice, don't you think?).

That is, if the check cleared, of course. But it probably did clear a while back, so this is going to be a pro forma thing, and a couple of guys who were of little use in that program will be useful to get the heat off the PRC for a while. Because the PRC cannot afford anything that could potentially cause a serious hiccup in trade.

You might recall the differences between the civil government and the military in China.

Civilian government got upset when they discovered the military, taking a 30% cut in their budget, made up the difference by operating manufacturing plants making all sort of goods to sell to other countries, escpecially USA. The ownership of these plants was covered up. They're the one who used prisoners to make the goods.

In recent time, the military is supposed to shut down the plants. How deep I don't know nor heard.

It could be the military's desire to make money by buying or stealing nuclear secrets and selling them to other countries. Without the knowledge of the civilian government.

Look for a big dustup over this! Of course, Clinton is involved here!

Glossy brochures helped Khan sell nuclear secrets
? It's hard to believe Pakistan's Government didn't know."
(that’s why khan was not punished by President Musharraf!!!!!!!

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/23/1077497519176.html

While Western intelligence policed the world to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, a Pakistani company that specialised in enriching uranium was offering its expertise to interested buyers in glossy brochures.

One pamphlet from Khan Research Laboratories had a picture of Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistan's top nuclear scientist, in front of missiles, rocket launchers and mountains where Pakistan held nuclear tests. "The main focus of our expertise/service is on the promotion of joint ventures for the manufacturing of advanced defence weapons/ equipment," one brochure says.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Western diplomats say Libya, Iran and North Korea were his top nuclear customers. "This was a massive intelligence failure," a non-aligned diplomat said. "Where was the intelligence?" But a Western diplomat said the US "had its eyes on Khan for a long time" and knew about a Malaysian plant building centrifuge parts based on Dr Khan's blueprints for Libya.

Dr Khan has admitted he and scientists at his laboratories leaked nuclear secrets. Diplomats said Dr Khan provided Libya with the centrifuge technology and weapons designs. He appeared to have sold many of the same things to Libya and Iran, they said.

Libya never built a weapon or enriched uranium, but an IAEA report said it developed the expertise to make plutonium. The IAEA chief, Mohamed ElBaradei, said Dr Khan, a key player, was "the tip of an iceberg".

One diplomat said: "Signing contracts with governments and international agencies? It's hard to believe Pakistan's Government didn't know."

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