巴基斯坦要求中國核電支援

Last month the NHK News on-line reported the following:

シャリフ氏 中国に原発など支援要請
5月23日 23時17分

パキスタンの次期首相となる見通しのシャリフ元首相が、２３日、中国の李克強首相と会談し、国内の深刻な電力不足の解消に向けて、原子力発電所の増設などで中国の支援を求めました。

パキスタンの国民議会選挙で勝利し、３度目の首相就任が確実視されているシャリフ元首相は、パキスタンを訪れている中国の李克強首相と首都イスラマバードで会談しました。
パキスタンの各メディアによりますと、会談で、シャリフ元首相は、国内で停電が慢性化する深刻な電力不足を改善するためには中国の協力が重要だと強調しました。
そして、原子力発電所と水力発電所の増設、それに太陽光発電の導入などで中国の支援を求めたということです。
これに対して、李克強首相は両国の経済協力を強化していくことを約束したということです。
パキスタンは、電力不足の解消に向けて原子力発電所を増設する計画ですが、ＮＰＴ＝核拡散防止条約に加盟せず、核技術を北朝鮮などに拡散させた過去があるため、欧米諸国からは協力がえられない状況です。
シャリフ元首相としては、選挙の公約に掲げた電力不足の解消に向けて、中国からさらなる協力を引き出すため、首相就任後、早期に中国を訪問したいとしています。

(試譯文)

On the 23rd former Prime Minister Sharif who was expected to turn into the prime minister designate of Pakistan talked with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, and asked for Chinese support in adding the nuclear power plant etc. towards solving the serious domestic electric power shortage.

Wining the National Assembly election of Pakistan, former Prime Minister Sharif, for the 3rd time assumed the prime minister office, would talk with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang who was visiting Pakistan, at Islamabad the capital.

According to various media of Pakistan, at the talk, former Prime Minister Sharif emphasized that Chinese cooperation was important in order to improve the serious electric power shortage in which power failure became chronic at home.

Also it was said that Chinese supports were asked in extending the nuclear power plants and hydroelectric power stations and introducing the solar electricity etc.

In response it was said that Prime Minister Li Keqiang promised to strengthen the economic cooperation of both countries.

Although Pakistan was scheduled to expand nuclear power plants towards solving the electric power shortage problem, since it did not join the NPT= Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, and in the past it had spread nuclear technology to North Korea etc., it was in the situation that it could not obtain cooperation from Western countries.

In order to start further cooperation with China, and because former Prime Minister Sharif had touched on solving the electric power shortage in the campaign election pledges, it was supposed that after the prime minister had assumed the office he would visit China at an early stage.

I notice that politically Pakistan is in an interesting position. All along it has maintained a working relationship with both China and the US etc.