Islamabad, Oct 06: Asserting that its co-operation with India in the nuclear field was confined to civilian areas only, US today assured Pakistan that it was "extraordinarily sensitive" to their concerns and would not do anything detrimental to Islamabad. "Anything we do that affects Pakistan, we are extraordinarily sensitive to it and are taking into concern the sensitivities of the feelings here," visiting US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage told reporters after meeting with President Pervez Musharraf.

He was replying to a question on Pakistan's concerns on US defence co-operation with India.

"We do not feel that we are engaging in something that would disrupt the status quo in a way, it's detrimental to Pakistan," Armitage said adding that the US co-operation with India in the nuclear field was confined to civilian areas and not military. Asked whether the Kashmir issue figured in today's talks with Musharraf, he said that he had very good discussions with the President and Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri on the issue: "from Washington's perspective the Kashmir issue is one that has to be resolved through dialogue and we continue to seek its resolution”.

"The issue of Kashmir is high on agenda," he said at a joint press conference with Kasuri.
Bureau Report