May 21, 2003	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 18

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ISLAMABAD, May 20: Pakistan and US officials discussed global disarmament and arms control issues here on Monday with both sides agreeing to continue discourse on these issues in future.

A US delegation led by Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control Bureau of the State Department Stephen Rademaker held talks with Pakistan side headed by Mr Tariq Osman Hyder, Acting Foreign Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Both sides exchanged views on regional and strategic security issues and reviewed the progress of arms control treaties to which the two countries were signatories,” a Foreign Office spokesman said on Monday.

He said the role and importance of the Conference on Disarmament as the sole multilateral negotiating body to tackle global disarmament and arms control issues was also discussed.

“The general view of the Americans was that going nuclear was not a good idea and that it does not enhance security,” officials privy to the talks said, adding that talks ranged from general to technical level discussions.

“The two sides also talked about missile defence,” a senior Pakistan official said.