LETTER TO HIS EXCELLENCY MR. RONALD REAGAN FROM GENERAL M. ZIA-UL-HAG RE ASSURANCE OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO A PEACEFUL NUCLEAR PROGRA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84B00049R000501260023-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2009
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: July 5, 1982
• Content Type: LETTER

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[State Dept. review completed
General M. Zia-ul-Haq
NSC Review Completed.
His Excellency
Mr. Ronald Reagan,
President of the
United States of America,
The White House,
Washington, D. C.
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l
Your letter of July 01 was handed over
to me by Ambassador Vernon Walters whom I had
the pleasure of receiving yesterday. The contents of
your letter and the exchange of views with Ambassador
Walters indicated to me also how timely and necessary
his visit to Islamabad was.
The US perception of our peaceful nuclear
programme and our mutual pre-occupation with its
THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF
SECRE 1SENS1T!
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13 Ramazan-ul-Mubarak 1402 AH
O .'T July 1982
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impact-on our bilateral relations -figured even in
my discussions and correspondence with President
Carter, and subsequently also with your chief negotiator
of our new relationship, Mr James Buckley. I recall
that in our search for a credible and durable relationship
with the United States, we were able, each to satisfy the
other, on all matters of common concern, including the
nuclear issue and the sensitivities and susceptibilities of
our Indian neighbour. It was this mutual understanding
which was to provide the basis for a new relationship of
trust and confidence between our two countries.
In response to a request from President Carter
three years ago for an. assurance regarding our commitment
to a peaceful nuclear programme, I wrote to him on
August 9, 1979 "that Pakistan's nuclear programme is
entirely peaceful and that Pakistan. has no intention of
acquiring or manufacturing nuclear weapons". I repeated
this assurance to him in a subsequent letter dated
September 29, 1979 saying "we have no intention whatsoever
of pursuing any programme which may be geared co the
production of nuclear weapons". I also said that our
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modest nuclear programme, which is entirely for peaceful
purposes, had been misrepresented to such an extent
as to divert attention from the critical developments in
our region which threaten not only the security of Pakistan
but of the entire region.
Similar--assurances were conveyed by me
personally to. Mr. James Buckley who expressed his full
satisfaction with my commitment that Pakistan will do
nothing in the nuclear field which would embarrass the
US Administration. That situation remains unchanged.
It therefore caused me deep anguish to have
Ambassador Walters speak of incontrovertible information
that Pakistan had taken steps to acquire nuclear weapons
which threatened seriously to damage relations between the
United States and Pakistan. Mr President, any such information
would be a total fabrication. I can assure you that we neither
possess nor have transmitted any designs or specifications
of nuclear weapons components to any one. It is unthinkable
for Pakistan which is dedicated to the goal of nuclear
non-proliferation to become instrumental in the spread of
nuclear weapons. Ambassador Walters will be carrying to
you my renewed assurances in this regard.
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As regards safeguards for the KANUPP
facility, you have again my assurance that, we will
continue to cooperate with the LAEA and to accommodate
its legitimate requirements within the framework of
our Agreement with it. This facility has been regularly
inspected over the past ten years by the Agency which
has confirmed on each occasion that there has been no
case of non-compliance by Pakistan with its Safeguards
Agreement. Ambassador Walters was fully briefed by
us about our efforts with regard to the safeguards for
the KANUPP. The sudden change in the Agency's attitude
from its optimistic report of February 1982 regarding
the progress of negotiations to a less favourable : report
in June 1982 is rather intriguing when we have continued
to cooperate in the conduct of these negotiations.
Mr President, we attach equal importance to
our new relationship with your great couritry, and
feel confident that it will prove to be enduring. Jt will
be so, if we are conscious of the assaults on this
relationship, both open and insidious, by those whose
interests are not served by it and if we are determined
to defeat their designs.
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I am looking forward- eo-oi%-r meeting
in December when there. will be an opportunity
for a direct exchange of views on all issues of
mutual interest.
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General
(M. Zia-ul-Haq)
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