By Arun Kumar
Washington, Dec 5 (IANS) The United States has for the first time acknowledged Pakistan as a nuclear state that was very well aware of its enormous responsibilities, but said it would like to build ties with Islamabad beyond nuclear and insurgency issues.

“Obviously as a nuclear state Pakistan has enormous responsibilities within the community of nations that have nuclear weapons,” President Barack Obama’s National Security Adviser General James Jones told reporters Friday.

“They are very well aware of that and we have regular consultations on those issues,” he said when asked how Washington intended to broaden its association with Islamabad when their relationship is still tied to two issues — Pakistan’s nuclear weapons and terrorism.

“The relationship between Pakistan and the United States we feel is a very positive one and one that will only grow in a positive direction in the future,” Jones said.

Assuring US support for “the democratic processes that Pakistan is adhering to”, he said “we will do everything we can to be a good friend and ally, especially to assist Pakistan in its own internal struggles in any way we can with regard to the insurgents that are operating in the border area”.

“But I think the future of the Pakistan-US relationship is bright and it transcends simply just problems associated with insurgents and nuclear weapons,” Jones said. “We would like to see it evolve into the trade issues, better economic development, and absolutely as we try to move towards more peace and stability in South Asia.”

“So the democratic principle we hope will continue to thrive and grow and reach its full potential in the future which will be good for the people of Pakistan,” he said.

In reply to another question regarding what the US hoped to achieve in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Jones said: “If we can dislodge and dismantle and in my view destroy the safe havens along with, in closer partnership with the army of Pakistan, then I think you have a strategic change in the entire region that bodes well for the future.

“Once insurgents are on the run and they don’t have the illusion of sanctuary or the reality of sanctuary, then you have a completely different problem and it’s much more manageable,” he said.

“So the idea is to take care of those safe havens, take care of those sanctuaries,” he added.

(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)