The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Washington

The Pentagon on Wednesday said it was not worried about the security of Pakistan's nuclear weapons amid the political crisis there, rolling back from comments made by a senior U.S. general who called the issue a "primary concern."

"At this point, we have no concerns," said Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell. "We believe that they are under the appropriate control."

Last week, Lt. Gen. Carter Ham, director of operations for the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the military was concerned about the security of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal after President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule and arrested thousands.

"Any time there is a nation that has nuclear weapons that has experienced a situation such as Pakistan is at present, that is a primary concern," Ham said.

But U.S. defense and military officials have since backpedaled, saying the weapons are controlled by Pakistan's military and that the military is a responsible steward of the arsenal. Pakistan carried out its first nuclear test in 1998 and experts estimate it has material for as many as 90 weapons.