New Delhi: In its first official reaction to admission by Pakistan's top scientist A Q Khan of providing sensitive technology to Iran, North Korea and Libya, India today (Feb 6, 2004) said it was "not an internal matter" of Pakistan and the matter has to be debated in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and elsewhere for a "more responsible" behaviour from countries with nuclear capability.

"Obviously, there were some charges and the Pakistan Cabinet decided to recommend to President (Pervez Musharraf) that A Q Khan should be pardoned. The Pakistan President has pardoned him," External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha said at a joint press conference with his British counterpart Jack Straw.

He said, "Obviously, it appears to me that things will not stop here because it is not merely an internal matter of Pakistan but it is a matter concerning the entire international community. Pakistan itself is not a signatory to the NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) but Libya and Iran are."

New Delhi's reaction assumes significance in the wake of US terming the Presidential pardon to Khan as an internal matter of Pakistan.

"These are issues which will have to be debated in the IAEA and elsewhere so that we have a more responsible behaviour from countries which have nuclear capability," he said.