Pages 37-38 from FCO 372113 - the Nuclear policy of Pakistan 1978

The document discusses the issue of nuclear exports and proposes a suggested speaking note. It mentions that since the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) established an export trigger list in 1975, there has been awareness that various standard industrial and scientific items, known as "grey areas," could also be used in nuclear plants. However, these items were not included in the trigger list because they were individually considered less significant and not solely intended for nuclear use. As a result, NSG members, including the UK, have not included them in export control legislation.

As a depository state of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the NSG, the UK is concerned about avoiding opportunities for proliferation. They express specific concerns about uncontrolled equipment, such as inverters or frequency changers, that could be used in reprocessing or uranium enrichment plants capable of producing weapons-grade uranium. The UK has identified a potential loophole in their export controls related to these items.

The UK government has decided to address this issue and is interested in hearing how other NSG members view the problem and what steps they are taking to address it. The document emphasizes the importance of preventing proliferation and ensuring effective export controls to avoid the misuse of equipment in nuclear programs.