ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi has emphasized the need for equal treatment to all applicants of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), based on objective and non-discriminatory criteria.
The Special Assistant who is currently on an official visit to Astana (Kazakhstan) as a Special Envoy of the Prime Minister, held a meeting with Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov and Deputy Foreign Minister Yerzhan Ashikbayev, said a press release of the Foreign Office on Friday.
Besides bilateral issues, Fatemi sought support of Kazakhstan for Pakistan’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
Presenting Pakistan’s point of view, he reiterated that its application stood on solid grounds of technical expertise, capability and well-established commitments to nuclear safety and security.
The Special Assistant assured his interlocutors that Pakistan’s export controls regime was fully harmonized with those of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Missile Technology Control Regime (MTRC) and Australia Group.
Fatemi also highlighted that Pakistan and Kazakhstan enjoyed close and cordial relations that were based on common bonds of history, culture, tradition and values.
Both sides recalled with fondness the visit of Prime Minister Sharif to Astana in August last year.
The two sides resolved to identify new areas of common interest where the relationship could be further enhanced and reiterated their desire to transform the bilateral relations into a multi-dimensional partnership.