The Fire Coal Placed on ASEAN’s Lap (3) by Theo Zaw
The Fire Coal Placed on ASEAN’s Lap (3) by Theo Zaw
MoeMaKa, May 21, 2025
Revelations in The New York Times
The New York Times further revealed that Pakistan’s former President Gen. Pervez Musharraf had once requested Myanmar’s military leaders to grant political asylum to the two nuclear scientists. That claim is difficult to independently verify, but it adds significant weight to the suspicions surrounding Myanmar’s nuclear ambitions.
Due to close ties between Pakistan, the United States, and India, the article suggested that Pakistan was reluctant to hand over those scientists to the CIA out of fear their nuclear secrets would leak to India. Whether these claims can be fully substantiated is unclear—but the mention in the New York Times has been echoed and referenced by numerous other reputable sources.
At the very least, the revelation that two of Pakistan’s top nuclear scientists visited Myanmar appears credible and warrants serious concern.
The Firearm Analogy and Myanmar’s Intent
Despite denials from both governments, the saying “You don’t smell gunpowder unless the gun was fired” seems apt here. News about visits from Russian and North Korean officials no longer surprises observers. But seeing the names of Pakistani nuclear scientists and evidence of their travel to Myanmar suggests how far Myanmar’s military leaders were willing to go in their desperate pursuit of nuclear weapons.
Why Approach Pakistan?
Pakistan isn’t the only player in the clandestine nuclear marketplace. The so-called “Khan Network”—named after Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistan’s “father of the nuclear bomb”—was known for trafficking nuclear materials and technology. Even the IAEA has documented this network’s activities.
In 2004, Khan confessed on television that his network had transferred technology to Iran, North Korea, and Libya. In reality, his black-market dealings reportedly spanned over 20 countries for nearly two decades.
Dr. Khan, who had studied in Belgium and worked at uranium enrichment facilities in the Netherlands, played a critical role in enabling Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities. Despite his role, he was never severely punished and received a state funeral upon his death in 2021.
CIA Director George Tenet even once described Khan as more dangerous than Osama bin Laden due to the scale of his underground network.
The Global Race and Myanmar’s Role
Following Saddam Hussein’s fall and Libya’s WMD disarmament, shipments from the Khan network were intercepted. These included centrifuges, uranium hexafluoride, and other key components. North Korea, too, was reportedly a customer.
Khan’s network provided P1 and P2 centrifuges, the latter twice as efficient. In 2024, satellite imagery of a North Korean plant showed machines identical to Khan’s P2 model.
This extensive proliferation network undoubtedly appealed to military leaders obsessed with nuclear weapons.
Myanmar’s Nuclear Curiosity in the 2000s
It’s likely Myanmar’s generals reached out to Pakistan around the year 2000. Though they may not have successfully acquired direct nuclear transfer technology, evidence suggests outreach occurred. Back then, Myanmar’s economy was struggling, which may have increased motivation.
According to a 2010 report from the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), IAEA officials claimed that in September 2000, Myanmar asked for assistance in acquiring a nuclear research reactor. CNN also reported that Myanmar’s Deputy Foreign Minister confirmed this request in January 2002.
The IAEA responded with conditions, but instead of proceeding with transparency, Myanmar turned to Russia and tried to build a 10 MW reactor—without informing the IAEA.
A Longstanding Obsession
This shows that Myanmar’s military leaders have harbored a nuclear obsession for at least 25 years, relentlessly searching for ways to acquire such technology. Claims that any effort was for peaceful use no longer hold water.
The Myanmar public understands clearly that the military’s ambitions were never peaceful. Their nuclear dreams were strategic—and potentially devastating.
(To be continued)
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