03-04-2005, 04:47 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>We had nuclear capability in 1988 itself: Bhutto</b>Washington, March 4, 2005|08:47 ISTÂ Â Â
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has said that Pakistan had a nuclear capability when she came into office in 1988,<b> but claimed that the government did not assemble the nuclear components then.</b>
<i>[It means China gave them]</i>
"When I became Prime Minister, I was told we had not put together the bomb. We had the components of the bomb," she told the Voice of America (VOA).
<b>"And although we had the components of a nuclear weapon, we took the conscious decision not to put together a nuclear weapon", she added.</b>
She also said that coordinated international efforts were needed to eliminate terrorism, adding democracies must be established as an alternative to counter terror.
Bhutto, said "freedom and democracy" were the enemies of terrorists, especially Al-Qaeda, and pointed to the danger from the organisation.
"It is a fact that the elements of Al-Qaeda can regroup as the Taliban did after 2001 and start attacking inside Afghanistan," she said in a programme on Wednesday.
The former Prime Minster also said that Pakistan could play a role between Iran and the United States.[<i>They are already playing]</i>
"Pakistan is close to both the United States and Iran; it can informally play a role in clearing the misunderstandings and avert the war, as President Bush himself said that no decision has been made for war."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has said that Pakistan had a nuclear capability when she came into office in 1988,<b> but claimed that the government did not assemble the nuclear components then.</b>
<i>[It means China gave them]</i>
"When I became Prime Minister, I was told we had not put together the bomb. We had the components of the bomb," she told the Voice of America (VOA).
<b>"And although we had the components of a nuclear weapon, we took the conscious decision not to put together a nuclear weapon", she added.</b>
She also said that coordinated international efforts were needed to eliminate terrorism, adding democracies must be established as an alternative to counter terror.
Bhutto, said "freedom and democracy" were the enemies of terrorists, especially Al-Qaeda, and pointed to the danger from the organisation.
"It is a fact that the elements of Al-Qaeda can regroup as the Taliban did after 2001 and start attacking inside Afghanistan," she said in a programme on Wednesday.
The former Prime Minster also said that Pakistan could play a role between Iran and the United States.[<i>They are already playing]</i>
"Pakistan is close to both the United States and Iran; it can informally play a role in clearing the misunderstandings and avert the war, as President Bush himself said that no decision has been made for war."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->