Pakistani FM urges US sanctions lifting

Pakistan has called on the United States to lift sanctions against it.

Speaking after talks in Washington, the Pakistani foreign minister, Abdul Sattar, said sanctions imposed after Pakistan conducted a series of nuclear tests in 1998 to match those carried out by India were not consistent with the friendly relations between the two countries.

Mr Sattar said his talks on nuclear and security issues had been very useful.

An American spokesman Richard Boucher said the two countries had agreed to keep co-operating to prevent weapons proliferation and conflict in the region. Mr Sattar also said the US sanctions against the Taleban authorities in Afghanistan were counter-productive.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service