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US confident of Pak steps to protect nuclear assets
WASHINGTON: On the eve of a major nuclear security summit, the United States Friday expressed confidence in Pakistan’s ability to protect its atomic programme, highlighting Islamabad’s cooperation in shutting down the A Q Khan network coupled with the safeguards put in place for its strategic assets.
The State Department said Washington wants to see Pakistan invested in the process of strengthening non-proliferation.“Pakistan recently has demonstrated a willingness to help the international community shut down the A.Q. Khan network.
We still have questions about that and we still pursue those with Pakistan,” Assistant Secretary of State P J Crowley noted at the daily briefing.
Pakistan is one of the 47 countries whose top leaders will be in attendance at the Nuclear Security Summit, being hosted by President Barack Obama in Washington next week.
In response to a question, the spokesman accepted that the Pakistani scientist’s activities made the country a source of concern in the past but emphasized that Islamabad “has demonstrated that it can secure its own nuclear weapons program, and we have confidence in the steps that Pakistan has taken.”
Crowley, who was pressed in the question about reasons for usefulness of Pakistan’s participation in the nuclear security effort and Washington’s confidence in Pakistan’s future commitment to prevent the spread of nuclear technology and know-how, argued that that US “wants to see Pakistan be part of the solution in the future.”
“We’ve had significant discussions with Pakistan on these issues. But if we’re going to strengthen the nonproliferation regime going forward, we want to see Pakistan invested in this process,” he stressed.
“And to the extent that other countries demonstrate through their cooperation with the international community that they are willing to assume that same responsibility, then the door would be open for further cooperation,” the spokesman added.
Crowley said the three countries - Iran, North Kore, Syria - that have not been invited to the Nuclear Security Summit- are currently not cooperating with the international community on the nuclear security question.
Courtesy www.Geo.tv