BEIJING, Feb 16: The United States on Monday praised President Pervez Musharraf for handling the issues relating to the nuclear proliferation. "We praise Pakistani government and President Pervez Musharraf for their correct handling of a very difficult problem," US Under-secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Bolton said at a news conference after bilateral talks with the Chinese officials.

Mr Bolton said the US did not think that the Pakistani government or top leaders were involved in the transfer of nuclear technology to Libya, Iran or North Korea.

"I don't detect any involvement by the top leadership of the Pakistani government, I don't see any issue there," he said in reply to a question. "I think President Musharraf has handled this very difficult problem correctly, he remarked.

"I think the United States had a very important dialogue with President Musharraf over the past couple of years, particularly Secretary of State Colin Powell's conversations with President Musharraf.

"We emphasize to him the importance that we put on avoiding proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and delivery system," Mr Bolton said. The under-secretary held talks with two Chinese vice foreign ministers in the second round of Sino-US security talks. -APP