US confident of Pakistan’s determination to protect nuclear arsenal: State Dept

• Biden believes safe, prosperous Pakistan is critical to American interests, says State Dept spokesperson.
• Spokesperson reiterates that US values its longstanding cooperation with Pakistan.
• Biden had said Pakistan may be “one of the most dangerous nations in the world”.

WASHINGTON: A day after US President Joe Biden’s statement on nuclear weapons of the country, State Department spokesperson said that Washington was confident of Pakistan’s determination to protect its nuclear arsenal.

“The US is confident in Pakistan's determination to protect nuclear assets,” a State Department spokesperson told Geo News. He also shared that President Biden believes a safe, prosperous Pakistan is critical to American interests.

The spokesperson also reiterated that US values its longstanding cooperation with Pakistan.

There was a furore in Pakistan a day earlier after the US president while addressing a Democratic congressional campaign committee reception made remarks about Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.

Biden had said Pakistan may be “one of the most dangerous nations in the world” as the country has “nuclear weapons without any cohesion”.

“And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan. Nuclear weapons without any cohesion,” Biden was quoted as saying in a transcript of the address, published on the White House’s website.

Biden’s remarks were made with regard to the changing geopolitical situation globally, as he highlighted that the world was changing rapidly, and countries were rethinking their alliances.

“And the truth of the matter is — I genuinely believe this — that the world is looking to us. Not a joke. Even our enemies are looking to us to figure out how we figure this out, what we do,” he added.

The statement was condemned by the government, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif terming the statement “factually incorrect and misleading".

Pakistan also issued a "strong" demarche to US envoy in Pakistan Donald Blome.

Acting Foreign Secretary Jauhar Saleem called in the US ambassador to deliver the demarche, the foreign ministry had said, adding that Pakistan’s disappointment and concern were conveyed to the US envoy on the unwarranted remarks.

The remarks, a statement from the ministry mentioned, were not based on ground reality or facts.

The acting secretary made it clear that Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state and its impeccable stewardship of the nuclear program and adherence to global standards and international best practices was well acknowledged, including by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"It was essential to maintain the positive trajectory of Pakistan-US relations and the close cooperation between the two sides to build regional and global peace," the ministry added.

The development came after Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly protested against Biden's controversial remarks.