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U.S. seeks assurances from Pakistan over A.Q. Khan

U.S. seeks assurances from Pakistan over A.Q. Khan By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON, Feb 9 (Reuters) – The United States has sought “solid” assurances from Pakistan it will take steps to prevent freed nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan from nuclear proliferation in the future, a senior U.S. official said on Monday.

U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson met Pakistani government officials on Sunday to express U.S. concern over the Pakistani High Court ruling on Friday that declared Khan a free citizen, said a senior State Department official.

Khan, revered by many Pakistanis as the father of the country’s atomic bomb, confessed to selling nuclear secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya in 2004 but was immediately pardoned by the government. His movements were restricted to effective house arrest before last week’s court ruling.

U.S. seeks assurances from Pakistan over A.Q. Khan | Reuters

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February 10, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | secrets,lies and civil liberties