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Pak conveys concerns to US over regional arms imbalance: spokesman

IRNA

Islamabad, Oct 6, IRNA -- Pakistan has raised the issue of 
conventional arms imbalance in the region during talks with the US 
Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, Pakistan Foreign Office 
spokesman said on Monday. 
Armitage met Pakistan`s President Musharraf and Foreign Minister 
Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri in Islamabad and discussed regional matters, 
with special focus on Indo-Pak ties and Afghanistan. 
"The United States is persuading both Pakistan and India to come 
to the negotiating table," spokesman Masood Khan told reporters. 
He said the issue of conventional imbalance was also raised by 
the president and the prime minister during their talks with the US 
leadership. "Americans are sensitive to our concerns." 
The spokesman said the United States is persuading both Pakistan 
and India to come to the negotiating table. 
To a question, he said an official of Pakistan High Commission in 
New Delhi has visited Fareedkot Observation Center to meet 8 Pakistani
boys detained there. He hoped that India would release them very soon 
as they crossed over to that side of the border by mistake. 
Asked about resumption of dialogue, the spokesman said Pakistan 
is ready for the peace process and resumption of dialogue with India. 
He emphasized that the dialogue and diplomacy is the only way to 
achieve peace and stability in the region. 
To another question, the spokesman said Pakistan has not yet 
taken any decision about dispatch of its troops to Iraq. 
Khan pointed out that the United States has introduced a new 
resolution at the United Nations and Pakistan is watching the 
development. 
He said in his interview and in talks with American interlocutors,
President Musharraf has made it clear that Pakistan will not send 
troops in conditions where they are seen as an extension of the 
occupation force. 
He confirmed that a decision has been taken to deport 13 Malaysian
and 6 Indonesian detainees to their countries, but he did not 
specify the time of deportation. 
TK/TSH/212 
End