29 November 2004	Monday	16 Shawwal 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 28: Islamabad would host the second round of Pakistan-India talks on nuclear and conventional confidence-building measures on December 14 and 15, officials told Dawn.

In response to a question, Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said the talks were expected to take place as scheduled, on December 14 and 15.

In accordance with an agreement reached between the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan in February 2004, expert-level talks on nuclear CBMs were held in New Delhi on June 19 and 20 after having been postponed in May on Indian request because of the change of government in New Delhi.

During the December talks, said an official, the two sides were expected to sign an agreement with technical parameters on pre-notification of missile tests. A draft of the agreement was handed over by the Indian side during the June talks.

The two countries already follow an advance notification system whereby they inform each other and also other neighbouring countries about their missile tests to prevent misunderstandings and misinterpretations.

The officials said new proposals relating to conventional and nuclear weapon CBMs would be taken up at the forthcoming talks. During the talks in June, both sides had reaffirmed their commitment to measures to reduce risks of accidental or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons. Islamabad and New Delhi already have an agreement reached in 1991 not to attack each other's nuclear facilities. They exchange updated lists of nuclear facilities on January 1 each year.

A joint statement issued after the June talks unveiled seven agreements, including measures for restraint and risk reduction, establishment of a hotline to reduce risks of a nuclear war and moratorium on nuclear tests.

APP ADDS: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Makhdum Khusro Bakhtiar said on Sunday: "Pakistan wants to sustain the dialogue process with India and make it result-oriented so that all outstanding issues between the two countries, including Jammu and Kashmir, can be resolved."

In a statement issued here, he stressed that the dialogue process and confidence-building measures "have to move in tandem". He said it was imperative that progress on Kashmir and CBMs should move in unison, in close harmony. Resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute will be the biggest CBM, which can rid the region of tension and usher in an era of stability and cooperation.

Mr Bakhtiar said: "We need sincerity, flexibility and courage to achieve results on Kashmir." He said flexibility was a two-way street and it could not be unilateral. All sides will have to cover distances to meet half way.

The talks between Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Dr Manmohan Singh, held in New Delhi on November 24, were very constructive. These talks helped in improving the atmosphere, understanding each other's perspectives and ensuring the continuity of the composite dialogue, he added.

He said the prime minister had a frank and comprehensive exchange of views with the Indian leadership on Saarc and bilateral relations. During bilateral discussions, he said, the focus remained mostly on the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

He said the prime minister emphasized the centrality of the Jammu and Kashmir issue and that movement on all issues had to be in tandem with progress on Jammu and Kashmir.