Biden’s Comments About Pakistan
In response to rumours sparked by President Joe Biden’s impromptu comments about Pakistan’s nuclear programme, the United States has stated that it is confident in Pakistan’s capacity to maintain the safety and security of its nuclear assets.
Shortly after a discussion between Ambassador Masood Khan and Counselor Derek Chollet, US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel informed journalists in Washington that “the United States is convinced of Pakistan’s commitment and its capacity to secure nuclear assets.”
Pakistan Foreign Office Summoned US Ambassador
The announcement of the meeting, which took place days after the Pakistan Foreign Office summoned the US ambassador in Islamabad to protest President Biden’s statements, was made by Chollet, a senior counsellor to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
In a tweet, Chollet stated that he met with Ambassador Khan “to discuss the long-standing partnership between the United States and Pakistan and (to) further grow our ties in so many areas, including health, agriculture, education, entrepreneurship, energy, and more for the benefit of our peoples and the region.”
Lifted Text From Chollet’s Remarks
The counselor’s tweet compelled the Pakistani embassy to confirm the meeting in a press release that not only lifted text from Chollet’s remarks but also from the daily news briefing.
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Additionally, Ambassador Khan tweeted that he had spoken with Counselor Chollet about “means to create greater resilience in Pakistan-US relations and increase strategic trust between the two nations” and thanked him for his helpful role.
Bilateral Relations Would Continue
Khan expressed optimism that “bilateral relations would continue to be strengthened” through high-level visits, interpersonal interactions, and effective communication.
On Monday afternoon, the subject came up again when a reporter questioned Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel about the confusion brought on by President Biden’s remarks.
Pakistan Most Dangerous Country
President Biden shocked everyone on Thursday when he spoke at a Democratic fundraiser in California and made some spontaneous remarks on Pakistan. He declared, “What I believe to be perhaps one of the most hazardous countries in the world: Pakistan.” Then he gave his justification for believing Pakistan to be dangerous: “Nuclear weapons without any cohesion.”
His comments caused a stir in Pakistan, where both opposition and government figures denounced him and underlined Islamabad’s view that the country’s nuclear assets were absolutely secure due to Pakistan’s strong command and control infrastructure.