Pakistan and India may discuss extending nuclear and security confidence-building measures when the foreign secretaries of the two countries meet in Islamabad this week, India’s Mint newspaper quoted an (Indian) official as saying on Sunday.
The foreign secretaries will also review the progress achieved in the official-level re-engagement between the two countries that began in February, and focus on improving trade across the Line of Control in Kashmir, the paper quoted another unidentified official as saying.
India’s External Affairs Secretary Nirupama Rao will meet Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir on June 23-24 with an open and constructive mind and with realistic expectations, the official said. The talks are expected to pave the way for a meeting between the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India in July.
“India will press Pakistan on its main concern of terrorism and aim to narrow the trust deficit between the two countries after the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai,” the official quoted as saying. Both the officials spoke on condition of anonymity. “There will be a review of the existing confidence-building measures (CBMs)” in the nuclear field, the official said.
“If there are new ideas, we will discuss them… if there is agreement, we will discuss new CBMs. There is nothing to preclude new ideas.” Pakistan and India have at least two agreements on nuclear security issues. One, dating back to 1991, provides for an exchange of lists of their nuclear installations, aimed at preventing attacks on each other’s atomic facilities.
The second, signed in 2007, requires both countries to inform each other ahead of missile tests, to reduce risks from accidents relating to nuclear weapons. On recent discussions involving the home, commerce, water resources and defence secretaries of the two nations on a range of disputes, the second official said: “Overall, we are satisfied with the progress of the talks… We have a better understanding” of each other’s positions.
“The important thing is on all issues we have decided to remain engaged and…take the dialogue forward,” the official said. The second official said that the resumption and continuation of dialogue between Pakistan and India did not mean New Delhi’s concerns vis-à-vis terrorism had been diminished in any way. “Through dialogue you keep the chain of communication open…terrorism is central to our concerns,” he said. India is willing to look at ways to improve trade across the Line of Control that divides Kashmir into Indian-and Pakistan-administered regions.
More trade would lead to better development in the region, the official said. The second official ruled out any impact on the coming foreign secretary level talks of the recent diplomatic face-off between Pakistan and India over their naval warships allegedly resorting to risky and dangerous manoeuvres in the Arabian Sea. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could travel to Bangladesh later this year to shore up ties, the official said.
