No sinister plan against Pak nukes, US assures PM

Nuclear Security Summit Pak has unparalleled system to secure its nukes: Gilani US president believes Pak nuclear assets are protected

By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir




WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has assured the world that Pakistan's nuclear assets are in fully secure hands as Islamabad has made the security arrangements for its nuclear facilities parallel to none.




"Let me assure you that Pakistan's nuclear assets are in safe hands and Pakistan is fully aware of its responsibilities on that count," Gilani declared before the nuclear security summit after his meeting with US President Barack Obama.




The prime minister had a bilateral meeting with President Obama, who has reaffirmed his country's confidence in the safety of Pakistan's nuclear programme.




Prime Minister Gilani was talking informally to the media at a dinner hosted by Ambassador Husain Haqqani. He said that the US leader once again voiced his confidence in the security of Pakistan's nuclear programme. "I thanked President Obama for his expression of firm confidence in our nuclear programme," he said. The Pakistani leader said it is only in the media that sometimes concerns are expressed about the safety of Pakistani weapons.




He said prior to his undertaking the journey to Washington he held meetings of the National Command Authority (NCA), the Parliamentary Committee on the National Security and added that the entire Pakistani nation, including the opposition, is behind the Pakistani nuclear programme and wants its protection.




The leader of the opposition in parliament assured his support for the endeavours of protecting the nuclear capability of the country. The president and the prime minister of Azad Kashmir and the whole Kashmiri leadership had come to the airport to express their solidarity with him for the journey he was embarking upon.




The prime minister said he attaches highest priority to Pakistan's security and that remains the central focus of his deliberations. Responding to a query, he said US President Obama reiterated his backing for international economic support for Pakistan as affirmed at the Friends of Democratic Pakistan meeting.




Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, earlier, said President Obama assured that Washington has no "sinister designs" against Pakistan's nuclear programme and is satisfied with the safety of Pakistani assets.




Pakistan's Ambassador to China, Masood Khan, who is Islamabad's chief interlocutor for preparatory meetings of nuclear security summit, made it clear that the summit is not country or region specific and focuses on nuclear security issues around the world.




Pledging close cooperative relationship with Islamabad "far beyond security issues," in a meeting with PM Gilani, Obama said he is "very fond" of Pakistan," the country he visited during his college days.




"President Obama began by noting that he is very fond of Pakistan, having visited the country during college," the White House said in a statement after a 40-minute meeting between the two leaders on the margins of the Nuclear Security Summit. Accompanied by top aides at the Blair House meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed the "positive relations" between the US and Pakistan," senior American and Pakistani officials said.




The White House termed the US-Pakistan relationship "of significant importance because of the shared values of our countries and the fight we are both engaged in, against extremists operating in South Asia," the statement said.




Obama also noted that "our multi-faceted and long-term strategic relationship goes far beyond security issues," the office of the White House press secretary said. Shah Mahmood Qureshi said, during the meeting, President Obama vowed to take the bilateral relations to "unprecedented heights."




President Obama expressed his appreciation to the prime minister for "quick reaction of Pakistani security forces to the terrorist attack on our Consulate in Peshawar on April 5 and expressed his condolences at the Pakistani casualties from that attack and the attack on a political event in Lower Dir on the same day."




He commented: "These two attacks on the same day are important to note because the extremists do not distinguish between us and we are truly facing a common enemy." The two leaders discussed bilateral progress made during the March 24-25 Strategic Dialogue and reiterated the US pledge to work with Pakistan to address issues of mutual concern in the long-term relationship.




The visiting prime minister indicated his approval of the progress made during the Strategic Dialogue and expressed the hope that the working groups that have been established to address various aspects of the relationship would yield progress in advance of the next Strategic Dialogue meeting, scheduled for late 2010 in Islamabad.




Gilani noted that his participation in the Nuclear Security Summit "comes at a time when popular support for the US-Pakistan relationship is growing," the statement added. By way of example, the prime minister noted that prior to embarking on the US visit, he met with the National Command Authority, both houses of parliament, the political opposition, and military leaders.




The US president indicated his appreciation of that broad-based sentiment and addressing the topic of the conference, reasserted the importance of nuclear security, a priority he has reiterated for all countries.




President Obama reaffirmed confidence in the security of Pakistani strategic assets, Foreign Minister Qureshi told Pakistani newsmen. During the meeting, Prime Minister Gilani said that Pakistan takes nuclear security seriously and has appropriate safeguards in place.




He also expressed his appreciation for the broad US assistance programme to Pakistan, a multi-faceted effort to make progress on various sectors, including the economy, trade, education, infrastructure, security, etc.




Gilani said energy is an "existing and growing problem." "The president reiterated that we are committed to helping Pakistan address its real and growing energy needs and noted that he is pleased that implementation is proceeding on the $125m energy-sector projects Secretary Clinton announced in October," the White House statement said.




Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan's ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani, Pakistan's Ambassdor to Beijing Masood Khan aided Prime Minister Gilani while the US side included Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and National Security Adviser James Jones.




INP adds: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani during his meeting with President Barack Obama on Sunday discussed Pakistan's energy needs, supply of civilian nuclear technology, access to western markets and cooperation in the fight against terrorism, said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.




He said Pakistan had raised the issue of the civilian nuclear technology with the US to overcome its energy crisis and the issue was again taken up in the meeting between the two leaders.




He said President Obama has assured that his country will assist Pakistan for access to the US and European markets. He reiterated that "we are committed to helping Pakistan address its real and growing energy needs."




Prime Minister Gilani invited Obama to visit Pakistan, which he accepted. Obama said Pakistan and India are independent and sovereign countries and the US has no intention to interfere in the internal and regional affairs of these two countries.




A senior American official told New York Times that Obama used his private meeting on Sunday afternoon with Yousuf Raza Gilani to "express disappointment" that Pakistan is blocking the opening of negotiations on a treaty that would halt production of new nuclear material around the world.