Washington: American officials are seeking to dispute a private arms control group's finding that a new reactor being built in Pakistan could make fuel for up to 50 nuclear warheads a year to mute criticism of a key ally, the New York Times has said.
"We have consulted with our experts and believe the analysis is wrong," the daily quoted a spokesman for the National Security Council, Frederick Jones, as saying.
"The reactor is expected to be substantially smaller and less capable than reported."
But president of the Institute for Science and International Security, David Albright, defended the accuracy of his group's report and noted the Bush administration's poor record on nuclear intelligence, New York Times said.
"We're confident in our evidence and calculations, based mainly on the examination of commercial satellite images of the half-built reactor," the daily quoted him as saying.
"If the administration wants to produce the reasons it thinks we're wrong, we'll be happy to examine them with an open mind."
Noting that the private group's report came amid debate over the Bush administration's proposed nuclear deal with India raising fears that Pakistan was trying to speed ahead in a South Asian arms race, the Times said the episode underscores the uncertainties that often surround nuclear intelligence.
In recent years, the government has come under fire for warnings of nuclear dangers that have turned out to be false, most notably in the case of Iraq's efforts.
Critics say the analysis are often subject to political spin, the daily suggested.
Washington might conceivably try to mute criticism of Pakistan's nuclear programme, it said, since Pakistan is a major ally of the US in its effort to fight terrorism.
But the US also closely monitors Pakistan's nuclear work because the government of President Pervez Musharraf is considered the most unstable of any nuclear power and its relevant facilities are seen as prime targets for Islamic terrorists seeking nuclear weapons, the daily said.
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