–State Dept spokesman accuses Pakistan of nuclear proliferation, says issue is ‘third top national security concerns for US’
The United States has said that it wants a see a prosperous Pakistan that contributes positively towards regional stability and security, WIONews reported on Wednesday.
Pakistan itself, the secretary (of State Mike Pompeo) has emphasised the need (for Pakistan) to deliver outcomes and to build confidence and trust between our two nations and we do want to see a prosperous Pakistan that contributes positively towards regional stability and security, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino told reporters Tuesday at his biweekly news conference.
NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION:
The US also reiterated that nuclear proliferation was one of its top security concerns. Palladino was answering a question on the recent remarks by Pompeo in which he identified Pakistan’s nuclear proliferation as the third top national security concerns for the US.
Nuclear proliferation is one of the very first national security concerns articulated in our national security strategy. It’s at the very top of the list, he said.
So that absolutely remains something that this administration thinks about often because the level of impact of what could happen is simply so great. So that remains at the very top of our national security considerations, Palladino said.
Pakistan, he said, could play an important role in bringing about a negotiated settlement in Afghanistan.
Pakistan and the EU Monday announced facilitating the start of a dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban to bring peace in Afghanistan.
The 4th Session of the Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue was held in Islamabad where Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and EU Foreign Policy and Security Chief Federica Mogherini led their respective sides.