The United State administration has said that it was confident of Pakistan’s commitment and its ability to secure its nuclear assets, a couple of days after Joe Biden expressed concerns over the country’s nukes.

“The US has always viewed a secure and prosperous Pakistan as critical to US interests,” State Dept Principal Deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said during the press briefing on Monday. “And more broadly, the US values our longstanding cooperation with Pakistan.”

He was responding to a query pertaining to the development against the backdrop of US President Joe Biden’s off the cuff remarks and concerns over nuclear assets. Islamabad summoned US Ambassador David Blome for demarche the next day the comment drew sharp criticism in the country’s political circles.

“And what I think is maybe one of the most dangerous nations in the world: Pakistan,” Biden was quoted as saying in a transcript of his address at a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Reception on Friday. “Nuclear weapons without any cohesion.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had described such remarks as “factually incorrect and misleading”, adding that over the past decades, Pakistan has proven to be a “most responsible” nuclear state.

Patel supported his answer with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s visit to the US where he met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He said that Counselor Derek Chollet also visited Karachi and Islamabad in the recent past, adding that USAID Administrator Sam Power was also in Pakistan.

Read: Nothing new in Biden’s Pakistan statement: White House

“Surprised” Bilawal in a press conference in Karachi was of the view that it was exactly the sort of misunderstanding that was created when there was a lack of engagement. He appeared to offer Washington some room to manoeuvre.

“So this is a relationship we view as important, and it’s something that we’re going to continue to remain deeply engaged on. And as it relates to the ambassador, we regularly meet with officials at the foreign ministry, but I don’t have anything specific to read out,” he said.

To query over any message specifically on the nuclear issue, he said: “Again, I don’t have any specific conversation to read out, but the United States is confident of Pakistan’s commitment and its ability to secure its nuclear assets.”

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was also asked similar questions during the press briefing. She reiterated her response that it was something the president had said before, and she was not going to add more.