ISLAMABAD, Dec 1: Pakistan will take up the issues of Russian President’s comments about Osama Bin Laden’s whereabouts and security of Pakistan’s nuclear assets with the Russian authorities at the Joint Working Group bilateral meeting in Moscow on Monday (Dec 2).

According to a statement issued by a spokesman of the ministry of foreign affairs on Sunday, Islamabad was also set to take the up the matter of Russian foreign ministry’s comment that the seizure of a Hindu temple in the Indian-occupied Kashmir had some linkage to a terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan.

The spokesman stated, Pakistan’s ambassador in Moscow had taken up President Putin’s comment with the Russian foreign office on Nov 25, and then the Russian ambassador here was called in on Nov 29.

Both during the exchange in Moscow and during the meeting in the foreign office, Pakistan had expressed its disappointment over President Putin’s comment which had been made in answer to a media question, the spokesman said.

“It was stressed that Pakistan was very responsible country and no one should have any fears about our nuclear assets. They are under very tight control, and the regime for Command and control leaves no room for any concern,” he emphasized.

He said the ambassador’s attention was drawn to the fact that Russia’s own system of safeguarding its nuclear assets, fissile material and sensitive technology was a matter of serious concern to the international community.

“Russia was engaged in a multi-billion dollar programme with the US to safeguard its assets and materials, and also to subsidize scientists so that they would not be tempted to work abroad,” he said.

He said there were reports of over 200 cases of attempted smuggling of alleged nuclear material out of Russia while serious doubts had been expressed by prominent Russians about the whereabouts of its suitcase bombs.

Regarding President Putin’s comment on the possible whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden, the spokesman said, the Russian ambassador had been told that as stated before, he (Osama) was not on Pakistani soil, and Islamabad had no information as to where else he may be, and if he was still alive.

It was recalled that in the middle of December 2002, a Russian delegation would arrive for bilateral consultations on Security conciliators.

In the second half of January 2003, a Joint Working Group on Strategic tability would commence its first session, and that Russia had set up such a working group with only a few countries. The Russian side alluded to these forthcoming dialogues as evidence of Russia’s desire for better and institutionalized relations with Pakistan.

The Russian ambassador was told that there was no basis for such an allegation. “Pakistan had unreservedly condemned terrorist actions around the world including the seizure of this Hindu temple in held Kashmir.”

The ambassador was told that the Russian side should also take note of the genocide, serious human rights violations, and rapes committed by the Indian occupation army. —APP