Washington: The United States has warned Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf that any co-operation with North Korea in the nuclear field would be "inappropriate and have consequences" including sanctions.

"I have made it clear to him (Musharraf) that any sort of contact between Pakistan and North Korea we believe would be improper, inappropriate and would have consequences," Secretary of State Collin Powell told reporters on November 25 while enroute to Washington from Mexico.

He noted that laws require US sanctions against countries that engage in weapons proliferation.

Powell said Musharraf has assured him that "there are no further contacts" between Pakistan and North Korea concerning transfers of nuclear weapons technology to Pyongyang.

Powell's comments came in response to news report of secret Pakistani co-operation with North Korea in Pyongyang's development of Uranium-based nuclear weapons.

'The New York Times' on November 24 quoted officials as saying the technology transfers were being made as recently as last July.

PTI