Don't raise nuclear tensions with new weapons: Obama to Sharif

US also rules out any India-type civil nuclear deal with Pakistan; Kashmir features in joint statement

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US President Barack Obama held wide-ranging talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on thorny issues like security, nuclear safety, situation in war-torn Afghanistan and Islamabad's support to terror groups. 

Obama also cautioned Sharif against raising nuclear tensions with new weapons.

"Regarding Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme, the President stressed the importance of avoiding any developments that might invite increased risk to nuclear safety, security, or strategic stability," a joint statement issued by the two leaders said.

A recent report by US-based think tank - The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists - has estimated that Pakistan will become the fifth largest nuclear power state by 2025 on the basis of their nuclear warheads development performance over past 20 years and its current weapons deployments.

Kashmir and violence along the LoC also figured in the joint statement issued by the leaders, both of whom called for a "sustained and resilient" Indo-Pak dialogue process to resolve all outstanding issues.

"The leaders emphasised the importance of a sustained and resilient dialogue process between the two neighbours aimed at resolving all outstanding territorial and other disputes, including Kashmir, through peaceful means and working together to address mutual concerns of India and Pakistan regarding terrorism," the statement said.

Earlier, Obama told reporters that the United States and Pakistan have a longstanding relationship.

"We work and cooperate on a whole host of issues - not just on security matters, but also on economic and scientific and educational affairs," he said. 

In the statement, Sharif apprised Obama about Pakistan's resolve to take "effective action" against United Nations-designated terrorist individuals and entities, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its affiliates responsible for the Nov 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

Asked later to compare India and Pakistan's respective concerns about terrorism, Obama's spokesman Eric Schultz parried saying, "I think it's clear that Pakistan's relationship with India is critical to Pakistan's future."

"The normalisation of relations between those two countries is vital both to them and to the stability in the region," he added.

Meanwhile, a senior Administration official "categorically" ruled out any kind of negotiations with Pakistan on India-type civil nuclear deal, terming the reports in American media as "completely false".

"Let me state categorically, we have not entered into negotiations on 123 Agreement with Pakistan nor are we seeking an exception for Pakistan within the nuclear supplier group in order to facilitate civil nuclear exports," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.