ISLAMABAD, April 7: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri said on Friday that Pakistan was endeavouring to convince the United States to enter into a package deal on civil nuclear energy as it had done with India so that a balance of power could be maintained in the region.

Informally talking to a group of newsmen at the parliament house lobby about his talks with US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher, the foreign minister claimed Pakistan had removed most of the misgivings that recently came into being between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

He said apart from engagement with the US, Pakistan was also asserting its own options by using diplomatic channels to approach the Nuclear Suppliers Group of 44 countries.

Mr Kasuri said if Pakistan was seeking a nuclear package deal from the US it did not amount to begging but it was being done in the interest of peace and stability.

About his recent meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher, he said: “I have told Mr Boucher that Pakistan would like to enter into a package deal with the US in order to save the region from any disaster.”

As far as Pakistan’s energy needs were concerned, he said Pakistan was cognizant of them and was taking all initiatives, including contacting the nuclear supplier ground (NSG).

He, however, parried questions regarding Mr Boucher’s statement on the democratic future of Pakistan. Mr Boucher had expressed American support for a civilian democracy instead of continuity of a military-run regime.

When asked whether the US official’s statement was tantamount to interfering in the internal affairs of the country, he said: “We do not have to comment on his (Boucher’s) comments about democracy”.

He said both President Pervez Musharraf and Afghan President Hamid Karzai remain in telephonic contact on various issues and were able to defuse tension following some serious misunderstandings created by Mr Karzai’s statements in the press.

He advised the Karzai administration to take up all conflicting issues at the forum of three countries’ commission instead of going to the press.

Responding to a query regarding APHC leader Mir Waiz Umar Farooq’s proposal of including China in the process of dialogue on Kashmir with India, he said both Pakistan and India were engaged in bilateral negotiations for the settlement of the outstanding issue.

He said though Pakistan seeks a diplomatic role by the US and the international community but it has never demanded from any country to mediate between the two countries.

About the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline, he said that despite American opposition Pakistan would like to consider meeting its growing energy needs.