No nuclear deal under discussion with US, Pakistan says
American media recently reported US was mulling civil nuclear cooperation with Pakistan under conditions
Islamabad: Pakistan’s foreign affairs ministry said on Monday no nuclear deal with the United States was under discussion, as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif left for his October 20-23 visit to Washington.
Reports in the American media recently said the US was mulling civil nuclear cooperation with Pakistan if it accepts certain limitations on its nuclear programme.
The spokesperson of the ministry in a statement said many of the speculative comments and articles appearing in the media about the visit “appear to be an attempt to confuse and generate controversy where there is none on issues of national importance.”
The statement “emphasised that no deal is being discussed between the two countries nor has the US made any demand on Pakistan.”
The spokesperson said “history is a testimony to the fact that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif accepts no demand from any state [and] he firmly believes in policies directed at preserving, protecting and promoting Pakistan’s national interests.”
The prime minister’s visit to the United States “is aimed at further enhancing and strengthening relations between the two countries.”
This will be the prime minister’s second bilateral visit to the United States.
Earlier, he had undertaken an official visit to the US in October 2013.
According to the foreign ministry, the prime minister will hold discussions on wide-ranging areas of bilateral interest with President Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden, and various Cabinet members.
“In these meetings, the two sides are expected to review the current state of Pakistan-US relations and identify new areas for future bilateral cooperation to further expand and enrich the canvas of this partnership,” the ministry said.
Sharif will also interact with members of the US Senate and the House. Senior US Government officials will also call on the Prime Minister.
The prime minister will attend a business event organised by US-Pakistan Business Council in Washington D.C. and address the United States Institute of Peace.
In recent bilateral interactions at high level, it has been agreed to broaden the conversation between Pakistan and the US and convert this partnership into a multidimensional mode, the ministry said.
