Washington: Taking a serious note of the statement by General Musharraf that he will continue the nuclear programme and test a large missile within two months, US has urged both India and Pakistan to take steps to prevent an arms race and to guard against possible nuclear use.

"On the issue of missile tests, we clearly remain deeply concerned about the dangers that continue to be posed by both nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles in South Asia. We continue to urge Pakistan and India to take steps to prevent an arms race and to guard against possible nuclear use," State Department Deputy Spokesman Adam Ereli yesterday (July 1, 2004) said.

"I would note that, in this regard, we are encouraged that both India and Pakistan have just agreed to work towards a number of measures to reduce risks in the region, including a more advanced agreement on notification of missile tests," Ereli said.

"It is an issue that we continue to raise with both countries, and that, I would note, both countries discussed between themselves. And that is a good thing. It is something that we see as a positive development, in the sense that sources of tension are being addressed in a bilateral and co-operative way, and that's to be welcomed," he said.

Asked about reports that the A Q Khan network is again active in North Korea, he said, "I don't have any comment on it because it is a report. I don't have any information to substantiate it."

"Pakistan has made clear that it is committed to uprooting and removing the A Q Khan network, continuing to investigate its operations, its tentacles, to make sure that it is non-functional. And I think they have been doing a good job of that."