Washington: The United States has declined to comment on Pakistan's second testing of ballistic missile in a week.

"I don't have any comment on Pakistan's missile test," State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said yesterday (Jun 4, 2004), when asked on Islamabad's missile test. Pakistan for the second time in a week yesterday test-fired a nuclear capable missile Hatf-5 (Ghauri) having a range of 1500 kms. It had test-fired a Hatf-5 on May 29.

On the forthcoming talks at the foreign secretary -level between India and Pakistan, he said, "I think that we've seen in recent statements and recent events a continued commitment by both India and Pakistan to engagement in a broad array of issues, and in a number of fora. So that process is continuing.

"I think that process is producing results and we certainly welcome it and are supportive of both sides' efforts in that regard."

Pakistan has accepted dates proposed by India for expert-level parleys on nuclear CBMs on June 19-20 and foreign secretary-level talks on June 27-28.