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Japan Resumes Loans to Pakistan; Koizumi Expresses Concern Over Nuclear Proliferation
Even as he announced that Japan would resume loans to Pakistan that had been suspended after Islamabad’s 1998 nuclear tests, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi expressed concern Saturday over Pakistan’s role in nuclear proliferation, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, April 8). “In my meeting with President [Gen. Pervez] Musharraf, I told him of Japan’s push for elimination of nuclear weapons and nonproliferation,” Koizumi said. He added that Japan hopes to be kept apprised of Pakistan’s investigation into the underground nuclear network established by former top Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan. “Regarding Dr. Khan, I received detailed explanations from President Musharraf and Prime Minister [Shaukat] Aziz,” he said, adding that the Pakistani officials promised to release any new information they obtained. Before Pakistan embarked on nuclear testing, Japan had provided Islamabad with $500 million in annual development aid. “At this time, we have decided to resume yen loans for Pakistan. This is meant to show our resolve to strengthen the friendly bilateral ties in various fields, not just politics and economy,” Koizumi said (Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, April 30).
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