When Bush, Putin spoke about Pakistan’s nuclear risks: 'Makes us nervous too' | Transcript

The National Security Archive has released declassified verbatim transcripts detailing the private conversations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President George W Bush from 2001 to 2008.

Declassified transcripts between Vladimir Putin and former US President George W Bush have revealed how the two leaders raised concerns over Pakistan's nuclear proliferation.

A transcript of the conversation was recently released by US-based National Security Archive.

According to the transcript, during his first personal meeting with Bush on June 16, 2001, in Slovenia, Putin voiced his worries over Islamabad's stability and unease over the control of its atomic assets.

The documents stated that Putin famously described Pakistan as “just a junta with nuclear weapons".

The transcripts showed that while the United States was publicly building a close post-9/11 partnership with then President Pervez Musharraf for counter-terrorism, both world leaders privately viewed his regime as a major non-proliferation liability. Putin criticised the West for its lack of democratic pressure on Islamabad.

Putin questioned why Pakistan did not face the same level of sustained international pressure as other countries accused of nuclear violations. He said, "It is just a junta with nuclear weapons. It is no democracy, yet the West does not criticise it. Should talk about it," he said.

Putin’s statement echoed India's concerns about Pakistan's nuclear proliferation.

The leaders also discussed Iran’s clandestine nuclear labs and their undeniable link to Pakistani technology.

Here's one of the conversations from the transcript:

President Putin: “But it’s not clear what the labs (Iran) have, where they are… Cooperation with Pakistan still exists."

President Bush: “I talked to Musharraf about that. I told him we’re worried about transfers to Iran and North Korea. They put AQ Khan in jail, and some of his buddies. Under house arrest. We want to know what they said. I keep reminding Musharraf of that. Either he’s getting nothing, or he’s not being forthcoming."

President Putin: “As far as I understand, they found uranium of Pakistani origin in the centrifuges."

President Bush: “Yes, the stuff the Iranians forgot to tell the IAEA about. That’s a violation."

President Putin: “It was of Pakistani origin. That makes me nervous."

President Bush: “It makes us nervous, too."

These declassified admissions are an international confirmation of a long-held stance by India. New Delhi had always said that Pakistan’s nuclear assets have always been a global security liability. Indian intelligence sources told CNN-News18 the risk is institutional rather than limited to the “rogue" AQ Khan episode.

Putin repeatedly raised the dangers of nuclear weapons in the hands of regimes lacking democratic accountability, while Bush emphasised the need to prevent any further spread of sensitive technology.

Pakistan developed its nuclear arsenal outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The country's nuclear programme dates to the 1970s, spurred by its defeat in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war.