Pakistan playing leading role in global safety, security regime: Ambassador Jilani

Pakistan is playing a leading role in global safety and security regime and measures taken by the government to build capacity in nuclear security has been acknowledged by the United States, Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani said in an interview to APP. Speaking ahead of the Nuclear Security Summit being held in Washington and hosted by President Barack Obama, the Ambassador said the summit will provide a forum for world leaders to engage

with each other and reinforce commitment at the highest levels to securing nuclear material. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was due to represent Pakistan at the summit but he canceled his visit after a terrorist attack in Lahore that killed more than 71 people. The US Statement Department said that in the given situation the decision by Prime Minister Sharif to cancel the visit was 'completely understandable.' The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi arrived here on Wednesday to represent Pakistan at the summit beginning on Thursday. The Pakistan delegation will also include Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry and Ambassador Jilani.

Ambassador Jilani said that Pakistan's participation in the Summit demonstrates the importance that it attaches to nuclear security. "As a responsible nuclear State, Pakistan has contributed meaningfully towards the global nuclear security and nuclear non-proliferation measures." Responding to a question, the ambassador said that Pakistan has contributed to the finalization of Summit outcome documents. Pakistan will also submit its national progress statement on nuclear security that will amply illustrate the measures that Pakistan has put in place to maintain high standards of nuclear safety and security, he added. In the run up to the summit, Pakistan also ratified Amended Convention on physical protection of nuclear materials and also hosted IAEA's first-ever annual meeting of International Network for Nuclear Security Training and Support Centers this month.

"This clearly indicates Pakistan's leading role in global safety and security regime," the Ambassador said. The Ambassador said that Pakistan-US dialogue on non-proliferation issues has a wide agenda and Pakistan takes up all issues of national priority. "Pakistan and the US have a common desire to see a strategically stable South Asia. Both sides continue to engage in a constructive dialogue on the subject," the Ambassador said. To a question, Ambassador Jilani said that on several occasions, US has appreciated Pakistan's engagement with international organizations such as IAEA on nuclear security.

During their most recent briefings at the State Department the US Administration has noted the measures taken by Pakistan to build capacity in nuclear security and adopt higher standards in this area. The first Nuclear Security Summit was held in Washington, DC in 2010 and was followed by additional summits in Seoul in 2012 and The Hague in 2014. These summits have achieved tangible improvements in the security of nuclear materials and stronger international institutions that support nuclear security. During a press call with reporters to preview the summit, Ben Rhodes, the Deputy National Security Advisor said that in addition to discussing the outcomes and future plans, the summit will also deal with nuclear security and nuclear energy and the ongoing efforts to promote non-proliferation.

In addition, this year's summit will include a special summit that will focus leaders on the threat of groups like ISIL which is an organization that clearly poses a threat not just to individual countries but to global security, he added. A Joint Statement will be issued after the meeting and there will also be 17 other joint statements or things called 'gift baskets' which are collective commitments of summit participants not consensus documents, but where several countries are working around a same issue in order to make progress and actually carry out activities.