Pakistan, US hold sixth round of strategic talks

Published November 22, 2013
Pakistan's Adviser for National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz (C) speaks with US Acting Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Rose Gottemoeller (2nd R) during a meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad on November 21, 2013. — Photo AFP
Pakistan's Adviser for National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz (C) speaks with US Acting Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Rose Gottemoeller (2nd R) during a meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad on November 21, 2013. — Photo AFP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani and American officials held another round of strategic talks in Islamabad on Thursday to discuss issues of mutual importance to both countries at the sixth session of the Strategic Stability, and Nonproliferation (SSS&NP) Working Group.

The session was attended by Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Pakistan's Additional Secretary for United Nations and Economic Coordination Ambassador and Rose Gottemoeller, the Acting Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security .

The issues discussed during the meeting included international efforts to enhance nuclear security and peaceful applications of nuclear energy.

The delegates further discussed nonproliferation challenges in terms of chemical and biological weapons, export controls, and the importance of regional stability and security.

The SSS&NP Working Group is part of the US.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, which was re-energised during Secretary of State John Kerry’s trip to Pakistan in August.

It follows a meeting of the Energy Working Group in Washington DC, on November 12.

The meeting of the Working Group came amid an uproar over drone strikes, on the same day, that killed six people including four militant commanders of the Haqqani Network as well as two children.

It was the first drone strike since the last drone attack three weeks ago that killed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Hakimullah Mehsud.

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