Non-proliferation may feature in Sharif-Obama talks, say US officials

Karachi: Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons may feature significantly in the talks between Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Barack Obama in Washington next week.

The Dawn quoted Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Qazi Khalilullah, as saying that Sharif would be paying an official visit to the United States from October 20 to 23.

Khalilullah said that a comprehensive agenda would be discussed during the visit.

The discussions would include bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, education, defence, counter-terrorism, health and climate change, Khalilullah added.

Pakistani officials did not comment on the nuclear deal offered by the Obama administration, which is said to entail curbs on Pakistan’s nuclear programme in return for an entry into nuclear cartels like ‘Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)’ that regulate the global nuclear trade and a nod to civil nuclear cooperation.

However, US officials have said that the agenda in discussion at the White House meeting will include non-proliferation.

ANI