The United States has said that it’s confident of Pakistan’s capability to keep its nuclear means safe and secure, dismissing enterprises stirred by President Joe Biden’s off-the-cuff reflections about the country’s nuclear programme.
“ The United States is confident of Pakistan’s commitment and its capability to secure nuclear means, ” a US State Department prophet told intelligencers in Washington shortly after a meeting between Ambassador Masood Khan and Counselor Derek Chollet.
Chollet, an elderly counsel to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, was the first to break the news of the meeting, which came days after the Pakistan Foreign Office summoned the US minister in Islamabad to protest over President Biden’s reflections.
Chollet said in a tweet that he met Ambassador Khan “to bandy US- Pakistan long-standing cooperation and( to) further grow our ties in so numerous areas including health, husbandry, education, entrepreneurship, energy and further for the benefit of our peoples and the region”.
Always glad to meet Ambassador @Masood__Khan to discuss #USPAK longstanding partnership & further grow our ties in so many areas including health, agriculture, education, entrepreneurship, energy & more for the benefit of our peoples & the region. pic.twitter.com/WUeyul3eOb
The counselor’s tweet forced the Pakistan delegacy to admit the meeting in a press release that not only espoused Chollet’s statement but also included contents from the diurnal news briefing.
Ambassador Khan posted a tweet as well, thanking Counselor Chollet for his formative part, and stated that he’d bandied with him “ways to make farther adaptability in Pakistan- US relations and boost strategic trust between the two countries”.
Discussed with @CounselorDOS ways to build further resilience in #PAKUS ties and boost strategic trust. High level visits, people to people exchanges and effective communication would continue to fortify relations. Thanked Mr Chollet for his constructive role. https://t.co/19sfk0LHT4
Khan expressed confidence that through high-position visits, people-to-people exchanges, and effective communication, “bilateral relations would continue to be fortified.”
The issue resurfaced at the State Department’s diurnal news briefing on Monday autumn when an intelligencer asked star Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel to clarify the dubieties created by President Biden’s reflections.
While addressing a Popular fundraiser in California on Thursday, President Biden surprised everyone with his off-the-cuff reflections about Pakistan. “What I suppose is perhaps one of the most dangerous nations in the world Pakistan,” he said. And also he explained why he allowed Pakistan was dangerous “Nuclear munitions without any cohesion.”
His reflections stirred a storm in Pakistan where both opposition and government leaders condemned his commentary and reiterated Islamabad’s position that Pakistan has a robust command and control system and its nuclear means were fully safe.
The White House responded instantly, assuring Islamabad that “the chairman views a secure and prosperous Pakistan as critical to US interests.”
Read More: Pak-US Relations: The way they should be
prophet Vedant Patel, still, gave a more detailed explanation on Monday autumn, saying “the US has always viewed a secure and prosperous Pakistan as critical to US interests. And more astronomically, the US values our long-standing cooperation with Pakistan.”
The two countries “enjoy a strong cooperation”, said the State Department functionary, adding that Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto- Zardari visited Washington lately where he met Secretary Blinken as well.
He recalled that Counselor Chollet also visited Karachi and Islamabad during cataracts, as did USAID Administrator Sam Power.
“So, this is a relationship we view as important, and it’s a commodity that we ’re going to continue to remain deeply engaged in,” said Patel, pointing out that US and Pakistani officers meet regularly.
But when the intelligence claimed on response to his question about President Biden’s reflections, the US functionary said “I don’t have any specific discussion to read out, but the United States is confident of Pakistan’s commitment and its capability to secure its nuclear means.”
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