Nuclear issues: Washington hopes to continue ‘constructive’ engagement

WASHINGTON: Vedant Patel, a spokesman for the US Department of State, has said that Washington hoped to continue to engage “constructively” with the Pakistani government on nuclear issues, including its concerns over the South Asian nation’s long-range ballistic missile programme.

“The US is committed to maintaining the global nonproliferation regime, and Pakistan is an important partner in that. However, we have been clear and consistent about our concerns with Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile programme,” Patel told reporters at a press briefing, adding that it was a longstanding policy by Washington to deny support to Pakistan’s long-range ballistic missile programme.

“The Department of State will continue to use sanctions and other tools to protect our national security and ensure that US exporters and US financial systems cannot be abused by proliferators. And it’s our hope to continue to engage constructively with the Pakistani Government on these issues,” the spokesman added.

National Security Deputy Adviser John Feiner said they have repeatedly raised concerns about missile programme with Islamabad.