US confident of Pakistan’s commitment & its ability to secure nuclear assets: State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel

WASHINGTON, Oct 18 (SABAH): “The United States is confident of Pakistan’s commitment and its ability to secure nuclear assets,” a Spokesperson of the State Department said here shortly after a meeting between Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Sardar Muhammad Masood Khan and Counselor Derek Chollet who serves as a senior policy advisor to the US Secretary of State.

After the meeting, Counselor Chollet, in a tweet, said that he met Ambassador Masood Khan “to discuss US-PAK 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.”

Ambassador Masood Khan, in his tweet, thanked Counselor Chollet for his constructive role and stated that he had discussed with him ways to build further resilience in Pak-US relations and boost strategic trust between the two countries.

Masood Khan expressed confidence that through high level visits, people to people exchanges and effective communication bilateral relations would continue to be fortified.

Soon after the meeting, while responding to a question during Daily Press Briefing of the State Department, Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel stated that US has always viewed secure and prosperous Pakistan as critical to US interests. The Spokesperson said that the two countries “enjoy a strong partnership” and that “the United States valued its longstanding cooperation with Pakistan.”

Vedant Patel recalled recent high level visits on both sides including visit of the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, to the United States and the visit of Counselor Derek Chollet and Administrator USAID Samantha Power to Pakistan. “This is a relationship we view as important and it’s something that we are really deeply engaged on,” the spokesperson said.