US happy Pakistan informed India before missile test

Washington, April 26 (IANS) The United States declined to criticise Pakistan too for test-firing a nuclear-capable missile less than a week after India tested a long range missile, but considered it "most important" that Islamabad had informed New Delhi beforehand.

"We obviously, you know, (have) the same message that we gave at the time of the Indian test: that we urge all nuclear-capable states to exercise restraint regarding nuclear and missile capabilities," State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters Wednesday.

"We understand that this was a planned launch. The Pakistanis have said it wasn't a direct response to the Indian test," she said when asked for the US reaction to the launch.

"But what's most important is that they do seem to have taken steps to inform the Indians, and we, as you know, are quite intent on those two countries continuing to work together and improve their dialogue," Nuland said

Asked if Pakistan had informed the US that it was going to conduct this missile test, the spokesperson said: "I don't know what kind of advance information we had.

"I assume we had some because I do know that they did have contact with the Indian government before they proceeded with this."

Pakistan army Wednesday said it had successfully launched the Hatf IV Shaheen-1A missile to an impact point in the Arabian Sea. The missile, which can carry nuclear and conventional warheads, has a longer range than previous versions, the army said.