Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri has said that Pakistan takes its responsibilities as a nuclear weapons state "seriously." "That is why, when confronted with the challenge of nuclear proliferation two years back, we took immediate steps to help dismantle this international smuggling network," he said in his address at the Brookings Leadership Forum on Thursday.
Pakistan's co-operation with IAEA, he said was "entirely voluntary". "To prevent the recurrence of a similar situation, a comprehensive export control legislation was passed by Pakistan's parliament last year."
He said additional measures have been taken as well. "We are pleased to note that the American leadership has publicly and repeatedly praised Pakistan's efforts."
Foreign minister said Pakistan requires nuclear technology to meet its own growing energy demands. "In view of the scarcity of fossil fuel reserves and our energy requirements (we need to generate 8800 MW of nuclear power by 2020. The present generation capacity of approximately 500 MW is manifestly inadequate. In order to meet this challenge of energy shortage, we will have to expand more into the civilian nuclear area."
This, he said, provides yet another opportunity for bilateral co-operation with the United States. "A good start has been made by the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission," he said adding, "we must take this co-operation further."
Foreign minister said, we understand the US administration's concerns relating to the safety of their nationals when they travel abroad. Due to its assessment of the security risks, it has placed a restrictive travel advisory for visits to Pakistan.
"This challenge of ensuring the safety of its citizens will have to be balanced by the economic costs it imposes on both countries as they are unable to avail of the business opportunities available."
Kasuri said, "we feel that this travel advisory can be modified without seriously undermining security. The benefits will be more than economic. Greater people to people contacts would lead to better appreciation of each other's point of view."
Responding to a question, he said an energy corridor from Iran to Pakistan would be a significant confidence building measure between India and Pakistan, besides meeting Pakistan's critical energy needs. "I know many of you in think-tank circles see the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline from this perspective. We hope that the US administration will see it similarly. This, he added, was one of the three projects - the other being the Turkeministan-Pakistan pipeline and the Qatar-Pakistan-India pipeline. "We have allowed India, and Pakistan will not stand its way," he added.