Washington, Jan 16: The United States is willing to discuss missile defence not only with India but also with Pakistan, a state department spokesman said yesterday. "What we are discussing with India, it is fully possible we can discuss with Pakistan; missile defence, for example. The key thing here is export controls, regulatory controls, following through on commitments in a phased approach," J Adam Ereli, Deputy Spokesman of the state department, told the foreign press centre of the department in New York.
He also said that "to date" the US has been "very satisfied" with President Pervez Musharraf's fulfilment of Pakistan's nuclear non-proliferation commitments.
On the question of high technology cooperation with India - the so-called ‘Glide Path Programme’ and its impact on Pakistan, Ereli said, "I don't think it should have an impact (on Pakistan). We have a strong bilateral relationship with India. We have a strong bilateral relationship with Pakistan. Those relationships we see as mutually reinforcing. One does not come at the expense of the other."
Bureau Report