KASUR, Dec 8: Pakistan will continue its efforts for the re-construction of Afghanistan and will donate $100 million for the purpose, says Foreign Affairs Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri.

Addressing a Press conference here on Saturday after his return from Bonn where he attended an international moot on Afghanistan, he said Islamabad wanted peace in Afghanistan.

According to APP, the minister said Pakistan would help Afghanistan build the Torkham-Jalalabad highway which would symbolize close friendly ties between the two countries.

“Pakistan believes that a durable peace and stability in Afghanistan is imperative for the security of this region. We shall remain committed to non-interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan, “ he added.

To a question, Kasuri said that Pakistan enjoyed good relations with Russia and wanted to strengthen them further. “We are not worried at close relations between India and Russia.”

The foreign minister dismissed the concerns expressed by the Russian president about the security of Pakistan’s nuclear assets.

He said Pakistan neither transferred nuclear technology to any other country nor would it violate the Missile Technology Transfer Regime (MTCR). The foreign minister further said that North Korea was already ahead of Pakistan in nuclear technology and Pakistan had never transferred any technology to that country.

The foreign minister said Pakistan wanted Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee to attend the Saarc summit in Islamabad next month. But, he said, there had been no positive response from New Delhi in this regard so far.

Kasuri said India and Pakistan should resume bilateral talks to find a solution to their outstanding disputes. “Pakistan is ready to hold talks any time, anywhere.”

The foreign minister urged the international community to exert pressure on India and bring the two countries on the negotiating table.

He took strong exception to provocative statements being made by Indian leaders during election campaign in Gujrat state. He said such statements were putting at risk the stability of the region.