ISLAMABAD: At the end of the fourth round of Expert Level Dialogue on Nuclear Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) India and Pakistan on Wednesday made considerable progress on the nuclear risk reduction draft agreement.

Talking to the press at the end of the two-day talks here the leaders of the Indian and Pakistani delegations expressed the confidence that they could finalise the text of the draft agreement at the next round of the dialogue.

The Pakistan delegation was led by Tariq Osman Hyder, Additional Secretary (United Nations), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indian side by K.C. Singh, Additional Secretary (International Organisations), Ministry of External Affairs.

Suggestions made

The draft agreement, prepared by India, was exchanged at the last round of dialogue in New Delhi in August. At the latest round Pakistan not only presented its view on the Indian draft but also made its own suggestions for incorporation.

"We have had a good round covering a number of areas in the draft agreement. A few differences remain and we hope to finalise the agreement in the next round," Mr. Hyder said.

The objective of the proposed pact is to reduce the risk from accidents relating to nuclear weapons through radiological leakages. It flows from the framework of memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries arrived at Lahore in February 1999.

The Lahore MoU, worked out during the visit of the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, envisaged CBMs to reduce the risks of accidental or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons under their respective control.

"The two sides further undertake to notify each other immediately in the event of any accidental, unauthorised or unexplained incident ... that could create the risk of a fallout with adverse consequences for both sides or an outbreak of a nuclear war between the two countries, as well as to adopt measures aimed at diminishing the possibility of such actions or such incidents being misinterpreted by the other. The two side shall identify/establish the appropriate mechanism for this purpose," the MoU had said.

Consultations continue

A joint statement issued here on Wednesday said that as mandated by Foreign Secretaries the two sides continued consultations on security concepts and nuclear doctrines to develop measures for confidence building.

"They reiterated their desire to keep working towards further elaboration and implementation of nuclear CBMs within the framework of the Lahore MoU, with the objective of promoting a stable environment of peace and security between the two countries," it said.

Both sides also discussed modalities for further securing the Foreign Secretaries hotline and agreed that future periodic Expert Level talks would discuss, review and monitor the implementation of nuclear CBMs as called for by the Lahore MoU of 1999.

To report progress

They also agreed to report the progress made in the present round of the talks to the respective Foreign Secretaries who will decide on the date and venue of the next Expert Level meeting on nuclear CBMs.

The Indian delegation leader recalled the offer of Treaty of Peace and Friendship made to Pakistan by Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh last month and said the nuclear CBMs being contemplated were another step towards the goal.

On whether India was ready for a `no-war pact' with Pakistan, Mr. Singh said the Prime Minister has gone beyond it when he proposed the treaty of peace and friendship. "India would like to approach its relations with Pakistan in a positive prism," he said.

Mr. Singh said Indian nuclear doctrine was very clear that New Delhi would not be the first one to initiate a nuclear strike and it would never use nuclear weapons against a non-nuclear state. "I would like to assure the people of Pakistan that the danger on the nuclear front is not from intent but from accident. The talks on nuclear risk reduction revolve on avoiding accidents," he said.

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