ISLAMABAD, Nov 12: Pakistan and India appear to be following a diplomatic roadmap outlined by the United States for improving relations between the two nuclear neighbours, reveals the US 'FY 2005 Plan for Regional Stability'.

When asked about the striking resemblance in the US Mission Plan 2004 and the FY 2005 Plan for Regional Stability and the CBMs undertaken by India and Pakistan on Kashmir and nuclear issues, sources in Pakistan's Foreign Office said any similarity might be 'coincidental'.

The US plan details some of the steps already taken by the two countries as part of the Composite Dialogue Process which, the document says, would advance "US national security interests through the resolution of regional instability". The performance goals for "Resolution of regional conflicts" set new targets for the two countries in 2005, including new CBMs on nuclear and conventional weapons.

According to the US plan, India and Pakistan would effectively implement existing nuclear and conventional CBMs and agree to implement new ones. The United States Agency for International Development's Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2004-2009 mentions that the US would "encourage India and Pakistan to restrain their programmes, adopt measures designed to reduce nuclear risks, and bring their export control laws and practices in line with international standards".

About the means for achieving the FY 2005 targets, the US government's action plan for Kashmir outlines continued maintenance of "pressure on Pakistan to prevent terrorist groups from rebuilding and infiltrating across the line of control (LoC)".

The US criterion for measuring performance goals to check the alleged cross-border infiltration mentions that "number of arrests is a direct but crude measure of the Pakistani government's crackdown on terrorist groups. Overall frequency and level of dialogue, stringency of transportation controls, and implementation of CBMs best assess the state of bilateral relationship".

According to the US plan, not much progress is expected in 2005 on trade between India and Pakistan though "it (bilateral trade) is considered a good measure of economic cooperation".

Efforts would be made to conduct a poll in 2005 to determine "Kashmiris' level of satisfaction with their everyday lives". The US would continue to strengthen Pakistan's counter-terror capability and its military cooperation and ties.

The US government, according to the plan, would also "work to support India's ability to monitor the border" and to deepen military cooperation and ties and to strengthen rule of law and counter-narcotics capability of New Delhi.

The US government's targets for FY 2005 include pilot programming in Kashmir with tangible benefits by fostering "cooperative and confidence building programmes in Kashmir in areas such as employment generation and civil society development and between India and Pakistan in areas such as people-to-people contacts, economic cooperation and environmental protection".