December 18, 2002	Wednesday	Shawwal 13, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 17: Brushing aside speculations to the contrary in the United States and other foreign media, US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca indicated on Tuesday that Washington had been made to feel 400 per cent confident about Pakistan’s position that it had extended no nuclear cooperation to North Korea.

In her brief encounter with a group of journalists at the entrance of the ministry of interior, Rocca answered questions relating to two key areas in Pakistan-US relations. One was on the alleged Pakistan-North Korea nuclear cooperation and the second on Pakistan’s cooperation in the ongoing US-led campaign against terrorism.

When Rocca was asked by Dawn to give the US administration’s official position on the reports in the US media about the alleged North Korea nuclear link with Pakistan and the US government’s great concern on the matter, she quoted US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s statement on the issue.

“I can quote the secretary of state who said he has discussed this with President Musharraf and that President Musharraf has offered a 400 per cent assurance that nothing is happening,” she said, conveying essentially that Washington had no further reservations. She concluded by saying: “That is all that I can tell you.”

Informed diplomatic sources told Dawn that in the recent behind-the-scenes Pakistan-US talks, the US officials had told Pakistan that the leaked press reports did not reflect the US government’s position on the issue. In his meeting with Pakistan officials, Deputy National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley had reportedly conveyed the US administration’s “embarrassment” over the press stories on Pakistan’s cooperation with North Korea in the nuclear area.

Responding to another question on whether the US was fully satisfied with Pakistan’s cooperation in nabbing the Al Qaeda terrorists, she said: “We are working,” paused a bit, and then hastened to add that US government was satisfied.

“Yes, we are satisfied, the United States has got a great cooperation going with the Government of Pakistan. It has been extremely helpful at its own expense,” she maintained. Continuing on the same subject she said: “We (Pakistan and the US) are working closely together and we have an ongoing cooperation and the US is very satisfied with it.”

However, Rocca was quick to point out that the ongoing cooperation was also for the good of Pakistan. “I want to reiterate that this is something Pakistan is doing in its own interest, it’s not just for the United States,” she emphasized without quantifying Pakistan’s interest.

DONATION: Rocca praised Pakistan’s commitment to the war on terrorism and donated 4.5 million dollars in hi-tech equipment to help root out Al Qaeda and Taliban extremists, AFP adds.

She wrapped up two days of talks, including with President Musharraf in which “they discussed a range of issues,” a US embassy spokesman said.

“We’re working closely together, and we have an ongoing cooperation and the United States is satisfied with it,” Rocca told reporters after her meetings.

She presented to the interior ministry some 8,000 pieces of equipment worth 4.5 million dollars to help Pakistan’s crackdown on militants, particularly on the porous border with Afghanistan.

The equipment is part of a 73 million-dollar US assistance programme which includes training in police investigation and the flying of helicopters, officials said.

Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat said the rest of the package would arrive soon and include fixed-wing aircraft.

In her talks with officials Rocca also “underlined the US commitment to remain engaged in bringing about a Pakistan-India dialogue,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

“Both sides agreed that the resumption of bilateral dialogue was essential to meaningfully address all outstanding issues,” it added. A US embassy spokesman confirmed the tenor of Rocca’s remarks.