Special Report: Obama's first 100 days in White House

    WASHINGTON, April 29 (Xinhua) -- President Barack Obama on Wednesday said the United States can make sure Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is secure, but warned that the situation in the country is still fragile.

    At a prime-time news conference remarking his 100th day in office held in the White House on Wednesday evening, the president told reporters Pakistan's nuclear arsenal remains out of Taliban militant hands.

    "I'm confident that we can make sure that Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is secure. Primarily, initially, because the Pakistani army, I think, recognizes the hazards of those weapons falling in to the wrong hands," he said.

    Under strong urge by Washington, the Pakistani government ordered the army troops to launch an operation against some 500 Taliban militants in Buner region, just 60 miles from the capital of Islamabad.

    Pakistani officials said Wednesday that at least 50 militants have been killed in the region, and dozens of soldiers are being held captive by Taliban, who advanced from the northwestern Swat Valley to Buner and controlled the region last week.

    The Obama administration, who has vowed to win the anti-terror war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, is deeply concerned about Taliban's rapid expansion in Pakistan, worrying that the country's nuclear arsenal would seized by the militants.

    "I am gravely concerned about the situation in Pakistan," said Obama, adding "I think that they're immediately going to be overrun and the Taliban would take over in Pakistan."

    The president said Pakistan's biggest threat is internal, not the neighboring India.

    "I'm more concerned that the civilian government there right now is very fragile and don't seem to have the capacity to deliver basic services: schools, health care, rule of law, a judicial system that works for the majority of the people," the president said.

    "And so as a consequence, it is very difficult for them to gain the support and the loyalty of their people," warned Obama, adding that the United States will help Pakistan and provide "all of the cooperation that we can."

    "We want to respect their sovereignty, but we also recognize that we have huge strategic interests, huge national security interests in making sure that Pakistan is stable and that you don't end up having a nuclear-armed militant state," said Obama.