China-Pak nuke deal should meet IAEA guidelines: US

The US further said that any cooperation with Pakistan would have to be under IAEA safeguards.

"We have seen press reports they (Pakistan) are negotiating possible sale of six to eight civilian nuclear reactors (from China). We are also aware that Pakistani officials have dismissed these reports as baseless," a senior US administration official said.

"China understands our concerns with Pakistan on safeguarded nuclear programme and pledged in 1996 not to provide assistance to any unsafe guarded nuclear facility in any country," the official said.

"We expect that any nuclear cooperation that China has with Pakistan will be subjected to IAEA safeguards," the official added.