ISLAMABAD, July 7: Pakistan and Japan will work as partners in struggle against nuclear non-proliferation and have agreed to enhance cooperation in this area.

An understanding to this effect was reached between the two sides during their senior experts-level talks on disarmament and non-proliferation in Tokyo on Thursday.

“Cooperation in peaceful use of nuclear technology also came under discussion in the meeting,” a Foreign Office statement said here on Friday.

The Japanese side appreciated the efforts being made by Pakistan to strengthen its export controls and expressed its readiness to extend further cooperation in this area, it said.

According to the statement both sides agreed to explore avenues for possible future cooperation in the framework of a senior experts-level working group.

The talks also covered matters relating to regional and global security, it said, adding that the Pakistan side underscored the need for maintaining strategic and conventional stability in South Asia.

The Pakistani delegation was headed by Khalilullah Qazi, Director General Disarmament, Ministry of Foreign Affairs while the Japanese side was led by Takeshi Nakane, Director General Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Science Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. The next round of the talks will be held in Islamabad in 2007.

During the visit of the Japanese prime minister to Pakistan in April 2005, both the sides had agreed to hold regular bilateral consultations on disarmament and non-proliferation issues in the context of Japan–Pakistan security dialogue.

The agreement to extend the scope of security dialogue was further elaborated during the visit of the Japanese foreign minister to Pakistan in January 2006 when both sides agreed to include two senior experts-level working groups, one on counter-terrorism and the other on disarmament, non-proliferation, dual use technology, peaceful use of nuclear energy, nuclear safety and space technology.