WASHINGTON: The United States has welcomed Pakistan’s proposal to conclude a nuclear non-testing arrangement with India and encouraged both countries to sign a UN-adopted treaty to achieve this goal.

Pakistan said on Aug 12 that it was ready to sign with India a bilateral moratorium on nuclear tests. India has not yet responded to the Pakistani proposal.

At Tuesday afternoon’s news briefing, a journalist asked the US State Department’s deputy spokesman Mark Toner if he believed the Pakistan proposal was consistent with the object and purpose of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).

“It remains our view that the most practical way to achieve a legally binding commitment on nuclear explosive testing would be for both states to sign and ratify the CTBT,” said Mr Toner. “I think this proposal is something we would leave to India’s consideration.”

The US official said that the United States also welcomed a high-level dialogue between India and Pakistan on this issue and encouraged both to “exercise restraint aimed at improving strategic stability”.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2016