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| China Links with Saudi, Pakistan a U.S. Concern |
| 2004-02-16 |
| The United States believes China is still cooperating with Saudi Arabia on missiles and with Pakistan on nuclear technology and missiles, despite Beijing’s promises to control arms proliferation. These are among the subjects expected to be discussed when senior U.S. and Chinese officials meet this week in Beijing. The Bush administration considers Iran and North Korea the greatest near-term proliferation threats. But it is also "concerned about what the Saudis are getting from the Chinese in terms of missiles," a U.S. official said. "They want to continue a relationship with the Saudis." Experts say ballistic missiles are most useful for delivering weapons of mass destruction and this would be especially worrisome if Islamic radicals took control in Riyadh or if the current Saudi rulers felt threatened by an Iranian nuclear bomb. For some time, experts have speculated that Saudi Arabia helped bankroll the Pakistani nuclear program with the expectation that at some point it would gain access to a nuclear weapon. In recent interviews, several senior U.S. officials were cagey about a possible Saudi nuclear program. One said: "There is no evidence that Pakistan has helped Saudi Arabia with a nuclear program." But another official said: "There is always concern even if the information is flimsy." In August 2002, Beijing published a comprehensive missile export control system but a 2003 CIA report said China continued to work with Pakistan and Iran on ballistic missile projects. The unclassified version of the CIA report did not mention Saudi Arabia but two U.S. officials told Reuters the kingdom’s dealings with China are an issue. "We have unanswered questions. There is some cooperation we have seen" between China and the Saudis, one official said. U.S. officials also said China was continuing a nuclear relationship with Pakistan. |
| Posted by:Paul Moloney |