The United States has strongly defended having Pakistan as its major ally, saying the country has made a strategic decision to ally itself with those who are promoting freedom and democracy.
State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said on Tuesday afternoon that Pakistan "has made the strategic decision to ally itself with those who are promoting freedom and democracy around the world. He was answering a question suggesting that in the backdrop of its nuclear test, North Korea could cite in its perspective that the US has Pakistan as its major ally and is also concluding a nuclear deal with India, and both the South Asian countries had also carried out nuclear tests in the past.
Continuing his reply to the question, he pointed out difference between the three countries in terms of their government and historical pathways. Pakistan, he observed, is "transitioning to its own form of democracy" and taking steps that "realise Pakistan with the great, the broad sweep of the rest of the world." The North Korean regime is going in the other direction, he noted. He also defended the US administration's decision to have a nuclear deal with India, which is subject to approval by American Senate after the November 7 midterm elections.
However, the spokesman said in terms of US "fundamental stance with regard to the proliferation of nuclear technology, development of nuclear weapons, that certainly has not changed."
The United States, he underlined, has made it very clear that "we are for the peaceful development of nuclear power. That is the deal that the vast majority of countries around the world have signed up to in the Non-proliferation Treaty."
In response to a question about Pakistan's nuclear scientist Dr Qadeer Khan, the spokesman stated "he is out of business." The United States and Pakistan are close allies in the fight against terrorism since September the 11th attacks.
Pakistan-US strategic partnership, reinforced during President Musharraf's meeting with President Bush at the White House last month, encompasses co-operation in a host of areas including economic development, trade, defence, science and technology.
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