Pakistan handed over 400 terrorists to the United States since September 11 attacks in the US, said US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca here Tuesday.
On the second day of her visit to Pakistan, Ms Rocca, dealing with South Asia in the State Department, presented Interior Minister Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat more than 8,000 pieces of radio and communications equipment worth $ 4.5 million.
Ms Rocca called on President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali and discussed with them Pak-US relations, the regional security situation and the US desire to play a role in bringing peace and security to South Asia.
"Rocca and President Musharraf discussed matters of bilateral interest," said an official statement.
Rocca later said President Pervez Musharraf assured the US that Pakistan is not helping North Korea in its nuclear programme.
She said Musharraf had made the assurances by telephone to US Secretary of State Colin Powell.
"He has discussed this with President Musharraf, (and) President Musharraf has offered 400 percent that nothing is happening," Rocca told reporters.
Powell said on November 25 he had made clear to Musharraf that "any sort of contact between Pakistan and North Korea we believe would be improper, inappropriate and would have consequences."
Congratulating the prime minister on his election, the US assistant secretary of state expressed keen desire to work closely with the new government in Pakistan.
"I appreciate Pakistan's role in the war against global terrorism," said Ms Rocca, who was on her third trip to Pakistan, though it was her first visit since formation of the new democratic government.
The US official lauded restoration of democracy in Pakistan.
Talking to journalists at the Interior Ministry after handing over the equipment, Rocca termed Pakistan as a reliable ally in the war against terrorism.
"We fully trust the Pakistan government and they are very much with us in the war against terrorism," said the US official.
To a question, she said the Pakistan government is extending full cooperation to the US, which is appreciated by Washington. |
