The Hindu : Front Page : India, Pakistan ink pact on reducing nuclear risk

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Thursday, Feb 22, 2007
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India, Pakistan ink pact on reducing nuclear risk

Amit Baruah

All aspects of the composite dialogue process discussed, say Pranab, Kasuri

INCREASING COOPERATION: External Affairs Ministry official K.C. Singh (right) exchanges documents with Pakistani official Tariq Osman Hyder, as External Affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee and his Pakistan counterpart, Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri (second from left) look on at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Wednesday. — Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

NEW DELHI: Indian and Pakistani officials signed an agreement on "Reducing the Risk from Accidents Relating to Nuclear Weapons" in the presence of Foreign Ministers Pranab Mukherjee and Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri at Hyderabad House on Wednesday.

The agreement, "initialled" when the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries met here in November 2006, came into force with immediate effect. It adds to the existing confidence-building measures between the two countries.

Under the agreement, the two sides have committed to notifying each other immediately in the event of any accident relating to nuclear weapons, which could create the risk of a radioactive fallout or create the risk of an outbreak of a nuclear war between the two countries.

"In the event of such an accident, the party [country] within whose jurisdiction or control the accident has taken place will immediately take necessary measures to minimise the radiological consequences of such an accident," the text of the agreement said.

Both parties also agreed that they would use hotline links between Foreign Secretaries or Directors-General of Military Operations to share "urgent information" in the event of an accident. The agreement, which will remain in force for five years, may be extended for successive periods of five years at a time.

Meet on Siachen

Addressing presspersons, both Mr. Mukherjee and Mr. Kasuri confirmed that a meeting of Directors-General of Military Operations (DGMOs) would take place on Siachen. While Mr. Mukherjee stated that no date was set for the meeting, Mr. Kasuri said Pakistan proposed some dates.

Mr. Mukherjee confirmed that "various proposals" on resolving the Siachen dispute were received from Pakistan and these were being considered by New Delhi. "We are ready to discuss each and every proposal. Various suggestions will be considered."

In his talks with Mr. Kasuri, Mr. Mukherjee said he reviewed the progress in bilateral relations since the two last met in Islamabad on January 13. "We are happy to note that the joint survey of Sir Creek is progressing smoothly and that the Thar Express resumed service on February 17."

Mr. Mukherjee revealed that he had handed over to his Pakistani counterpart a list of relatives of Indian prisoners of war who wished to travel to Pakistan in April. "You would recall that during my visit to Islamabad last month Pakistan agreed to receive them."

On his part, Mr. Kasuri said he had provided a list of four retired judges of the Pakistani Supreme Court, which would be part of a bilateral committee to visit jails and prisoners on either side of the border.

According to him, Mr. Mukherjee too was looking into the matter and would present India's list of retired Supreme Court judges soon. Mr. Kasuri said members of the higher judiciary would definitely help in providing relief to India-Pakistan prisoners, be they undertrials or convicts.

"This will help facilitate the early release of those who have completed their sentences," he said, stressing that this was an issue of human rights, which required rising above partisan considerations.

Mr. Kasuri said all aspects of the composite dialogue process came up for discussion with Mr. Mukherjee, which included Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek. To sustain the peace process, maximum protection would have to be provided to travellers between Pakistan and India.

Mr. Kasuri said he had proposed to Mr. Mukherjee that railway officials of the two countries should meet to interact with each other since a majority of those who visited India and Pakistan used the train service. This, he felt, was necessary to learn from Sunday's train tragedy and prevent such incidents in either country.

On introducing a new tourist visa category, Mr. Mukherjee said this issue was under discussion between the two countries. According to him, a draft agreement had been received from Pakistan and was being examined by India.

"We want to liberalise the visa [regime] and encourage tourism."

Expressing satisfaction with the joint commission meeting, Mr. Mukherjee said eight technical and joint working groups on agriculture, health, science and technology, information, environment, tourism, education and information technology had met.

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