Pakistan and United States Discuss Security, Strategic Stability, and Nonproliferation Issues

Additional Secretary for United Nations and Economic Coordination Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry and Acting Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller co-chaired the sixth round of the Pakistan-U.S. Security, Strategic Stability, and Nonproliferation (SSS&NP) Working Group in Islamabad on November 21, 2013. The delegations had a productive exchange of views on issues of mutual importance, including international efforts to enhance nuclear security and peaceful applications of nuclear energy. The participants also shared views on nonproliferation challenges as well as on the multilateral regimes on chemical and biological weapons, export controls, and the importance of regional stability and security. The delegations reaffirmed that the Working Group remains an invaluable forum for discussing issues of critical mutual importance and stated that they looked forward to future sessions. The SSS&NP Working Group is part of the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, re-energized during the visit of Secretary of State John Kerry to Pakistan in August and reaffirmed by Prime Minister Sharif and President Obama in October 2013. It follows a meeting of the Energy Working Group in Washington, D.C., on November 12. The Defense Consultative Group, a third bilateral forum within the Strategic Dialogue, also met on November 21 in Washington.