Pakistan Expanding Nuclear Program
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By Joby Warrick
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, July 24, 2006

Pakistan has begun building what independent analysts say is a powerful new reactor for producing plutonium, a move that, if verified, would signal a major expantion of the country's nuclear weapons capabilities and a potential new escalation in the region's arms race.

Satellite photos of Pakistan's Khushab nuclear site show what appears to be a partially completed heavy-water reactor capable of producing enough plutonium for 40 to 50 nuclear weapons a year, a 20-fold increase from Pakistan's current capabilites, according to a technical assessment by Washington-based nuclear experts.

The construction site is adjacent to Pakistan's only plutonium production reactor, a modest, 50-megawat unit that began operating in 1998. By contrast, the dimensions of the new reactor suggest a capacity of 1,000 megawatts or more, according to the analysis by the Institute for Science and International Security.

Pakistan is believed to have 30 to 50 uranium warheads, which tend to be heavier and more difficult than plutonium warheads to mount on missiles.

...The evidence of a possible escalation also comes as Congress prepares to debate a controversial nuclear cooperation agreement between the Bush administration and India.

The agreement would grant India access to sensitive U.S. technology for placing its civilian nuclear reactors under tight safeguards.

No such restrictions were placed on India's military nuclear facilities.

India has an estimated 30 to 35 nuclear warheads based on a sophisticated plutonium design.

Pakistan, which uses a simpler uranium-based warhead design, has sought for years to modernize its arsenal, and a new heavy-water reactor could allow it to do so, weapons experts say.

"With plutonium bombs, Pakistan can fully Join the nuclear club," said a Europe-based diplomat and nuclear expert, speaking on condition that he not be identified by name,...


Source:
http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/23/AR2006072300737_pf.html