25 January 2005	Tuesday	14 Zilhaj 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 24: Pakistan on Monday said its strategic nuclear assets were in safe hands and Islamabad needed no external security plan for their safety.

Replying to a question at his weekly press briefing about a statement by the US Secretary of State designate, Condoleeza Rice, that US had contingency plan for Pakistan's nuclear programme to prevent it from falling into the hands of extremists, Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said Pakistan's strategic assets were in safe hands and needed no external security plan.

Mr Khan said Pakistan did not need any external assistance to ensure protection of its nuclear arsenal as Islamabad had effective command and control systems. He rejected allegations published in a section of US media, and said the extremists had no access to Pakistan's nuclear assets.

"We have a fail-safe mechanism," he said. Mr Khan said Pakistan was alive and responsive to all dangers which could even remotely threaten its security. On the issue of Pak-Iran relations, Mr Khan said Islamabad and Tehran had very good relations, but there was no collaboration between the two countries on the nuclear issue.

Replying to questions, Mr Khan rejected claims in the Western media that Pakistan had accused Iran of inciting violence in Balochistan. He said that disturbances in Balochistan were being addressed by security forces.

He further said that Pakistan had conducted investigations into disturbances in Balochistan and had not accused any third country. Pakistan and Iran were developing close relations and could talk to each other directly, he said.

In reply to a question about a statement by Indian Petroleum Minister that Pakistan and India were very close to signing an agreement on gas pipeline from Iran, Mr Khan said if the Indian minister had issued a positive statement, Pakistan welcomed it.

He said issues like the gas pipeline had to be discussed by all the three countries and Pakistan would like to push the project in a manner that there were no external conditionalities attached to it. The spokesman said the project would benefit all the three countries.

PRESS RELEASE: Meanwhile, Pakistan's Ambassador to Iran, Iqbal Ahmad Khan, called on the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) of Iran, Gholamali Haddad Adel, on Monday, said a press release issued here on Monday.

The press release said both sides expressed satisfaction on the existing cordial and brotherly relations between Pakistan and Iran but called for greater efforts to fully utilize the potential that existed for promotion of bilateral ties.

According to the press release, the Iranian speaker said that Iran looked at Pakistan as a great neighbour with which it had historical, religious and cultural affinities.

He expressed satisfaction at the high-level exchanges between the two countries and said that the people and the government of Iran were looking forward to the forthcoming visit of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to Iran.

Ambassador Iqbal briefed the Iranian Majlis Speaker on Pakistan's efforts to promote relations with India and peaceful resolution of Kashmir issue through composite dialogue.

The two sides exchanged views on issues confronting the Muslim Ummah including Palestine, Kashmir, Iraq and Afghanistan. The speaker highlighted the need for the two countries to have bilateral cooperation for rehabilitation and reconstruction of Afghanistan.

The two sides also discussed the issue of terrorism. The ambassador explained President Gen Pervez Musharraf's idea of enlightened moderation, a concept supported by Iran as well, said the press release.

The ambassador reiterated invitation of the Speaker of Pakistan's National Assembly, Chaudhry Amir Hussain, to the Speaker of the Iranian Majlis, Haddad Adel, for a visit to Pakistan. Accepting the invitation, the Iranian speaker said that he would try to undertake the visit to Pakistan as soon as possible.