• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Pak team leaves for Delhi for talks on nuclear, conventional CBMs

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Aug 4, IRNA
Pakistan-India
A nine-member Pakistani delegation left for New Delhi on Thursday for two-day experts-level talks with Indian counterparts on Nuclear Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), beginning on August 5.

Tariq Osman Hyder, Additional Secretary in Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who is leading the delegation, told reporters that he is hopeful of "fruitful" outcome of the talks.

"We are going with an open heart," Hyder said.

Reports suggest that the two sides are likely to formalize an agreement on advance notification of missile tests.

The two countries, under an understanding give advanced information on missile testing, but they want to ink a formal agreement.

The draft agreement on pre-flight testing of missiles is ready and was discussed extensively at the last round of bilateral talks on nuclear CBMs in Islamabad last year.

The talks would look into the proposals for establishment of a hotline between the two foreign secretaries, up-gradation of the existing hotline between the Pakistani and Indian directors general of military operations (DGMOs) and exchange of nuclear doctrines.

The two sides will also explore the proposal of a nuclear restraint regime and the setting up of nuclear risk reduction centres during discussions that are aimed at reducing the risk of accidental or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons. Difficult questions such as the deployment, mating, targeting and de-alerting of nuclear weapons are also likely to figure in the talks.

The Indian side will be headed by Additional Secretary, External Affairs Ministry, Meera Shankar at the talks on Nuclear CBMs.

Experts-level talks on Conventional CBMs will also be held in New Delhi on August 8.

Indian side will be led by Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Dileep Sinha while Pakistani side will be headed by Tariq Osman Hyder, Additional Secretary, Foreign Office during talks on conventional CBMs.

Pakistan's delegation on Economic and Commercial Cooperation, headed by Secretary Commerce Tasneem Noorani will also leave for Delhi on August 08 to attend two-day meeting within the framework of Composite Dialogue process.

The two-day talks, to be held on August 9 and 10 are, expected to take up various items of agenda including the report of the Joint Study Group and the issue of Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs) to enhance trade between the two countries.

Home Secretary-level meeting on Terrorism and Drug Trafficking between the two countries will be held in Delhi on August 29-30 as a part of Composite Dialogue process.

235/1416
END