ISLAMABAD, Oct 8: Pakistan and Britain formally launched the first round of the Strategic Dialogue amid aftershocks of the earthquake that shook the foundations of capital city early Saturday.

Both sides agreed to institutionalize the mechanism of the composite dialogue by holding regular annual meetings. It was decided to hold the next round of dialogue in London.

The UK delegation was led by David Richmond, Director-General of Defence and Intelligence at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Mr Tariq Osman Hyder, Additional secretary (UN & EC) at the Foreign Ministry led the Pakistan side at the talks.

When the meeting began on the third floor of the more than 40-year-old ministry’s building, tremors shook it and they decided to move to ground floor to continue the meeting at the Disarmament Division section.

Issues of global and regional security, counter-terrorism, nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and other nuclear-related issues figured in discussions that went on for more than two hours.

A statement issued by the Foreign Office later said the talks were held in a “cordial atmosphere” and enabled both sides to develop a better understanding of each others’ positions and explore further possible avenues for cooperation.

“The Strategic Dialogue is reflective of a deepening relationship between Pakistan and the UK,” it added.

Diplomatic sources said Pakistan also raised the issue of civilian nuclear cooperation with the visiting UK delegation. Although the UK team did not give any assurances, it indicated that it would look into the matter. “They were cautiously optimistic about the possibility of such cooperation between the two countries,” an informed source told Dawn.

Reportedly, the UK side was more keen to focus on the issues of counter-terrorism and non-proliferation while Pakistan was equally eager to push them on the issues of regional security. The UK side agreed that South Asia security would remain on the strategic dialogue agenda and indicated that they would keep engaged in the Indo-Pakistan peace process and keep prodding India in the right direction. The UK delegation appeared quite supportive of Pakistan’s proposal of the Strategic Restraint Regime to India.

The two sides also exchanged a number of proposals in the form of non-papers for examination of possible bilateral agreements.

The UK delegation will leave on Sunday.