Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will lead the Pakistan delegation to the Third Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) being held in The Hague, on March 24-25 March, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

The Third NSS will be attended by leaders from 53 countries and the United Nations, European Union, International Atomic Energy Agency and Interpol. Like the first two Summits, Nuclear Security Summit 2014 aims to promote nuclear security through voluntary national actions and international cooperation.

The prime minister will address the gathering of world leaders on 24 March and will be one of the keynote speakers at a meeting on the future of the NSS process on 25 March, a Foreign Ministry statement said.

On the sidelines of the Nuclear Summit, the prime minister is likely to hold bilateral meetings with some world leaders.

The prime minister will, inter alia, enumerate the measures implemented by Pakistan to ensure safety and security of its nuclear facilities and materials.

"In line with the Government Pakistan's commitment to bridging the country's energy deficit, the prime minister will also seek non-discriminatory access for Pakistan to nuclear technology for peaceful uses, including nuclear power generation," the statement said.

Pakistan has more than 40 years of experience in safe and secure operation of nuclear power plants, highly trained and reliable personnel and a well grounded safety and security system.

Pakistan had conducted nuclear tests in May 1998 in a tit-for- tat response to nuclear explosions by arch-rival India.

The First Nuclear Security Summit was held in Washington in April 2010. The Second Summit was held in Seoul in March 2012.

The prime minister would be accompanied by the special assistant to the prime minister, Syed Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry. Endi

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