Pakistani PM to visit U.S. to attend nuclear summit

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will visit the United States to attend the fourth Nuclear Security Summit on March 31, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

U.S. President Barrack Obama invited the prime minister to attend the conference.

"Pakistan's participation in the summit at the level of the prime minister manifests the importance Pakistan attaches to the nuclear security," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said at his weekly news briefing in Islamabad.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is likely to explain his vision on nuclear safety issues. He will meet some world leaders on the sides of the summit.

The White House earlier said the summit will continue discussions on the evolving threat and highlight steps that can be taken together to minimize the use of highly-enriched uranium, secure vulnerable materials, counter nuclear smuggling and deter, detect, and disrupt attempts at nuclear terrorism.

The first Nuclear Security Summit was held in Washington D.C. (April 2010) followed by the Summits in Seoul (March 2012) and in The Hague (March 2014).

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif earlier said he "looks forward to having useful exchange of views on bilateral issues"with President Obama during his visit to attend the summit.

Talking to the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale in Islamabad on Thursday he said Pakistan is desirous of bringing greater depth and economic substance to its relationship with the United States.

He said Pak-U.S. strategic dialogue has been instrumental in identifying the achievements made so far and setting new targets under working groups of the dialogue. Enditem