ISLAMABAD, Dec 14: The second round of Indo-Pakistan talks on nuclear confidence-building measures (CBMs) that began here on Tuesday zeroed in on formalization of pre-notification of missiles' flight testing and effective communication between the two countries to prevent misunderstandings and reduce nuclear-related risks.
"The tone and tenor of the talks was positive and businesslike, and both sides reiterated their desire to move the process of nuclear CBMs forward," Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan told Dawn later.
When asked about the outcome of the talks, he said: "It's work in progress" and the two delegations would resume their discussions on nuclear CBMs on Wednesday.
Mr Tariq Osman Hyder, Additional Secretary (UN&EC) at the Foreign Ministry, led the Pakistani delegation while the Indian delegation was headed by Ms Meera Shankar, Additional Secretary (International Organizations).
Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner to India, Mr Munawar Bhatti, and his Indian counterpart Mr T.C.A. Raghavan were also present at the meeting that was conducted in two sessions.
Delegates told Dawn later that the focus of the talks was to operationalise the June 20 statement issued after the first expert level meeting on nuclear CBMs between the two countries.
In the June 20 statement issued by the Pakistani and Indian delegations in New Delhi the two sides agreed to upgrade, dedicate and secure the existing hotline between DGMOs; establish a dedicated and secure hotline between the two foreign secretaries; and conclude an agreement with technical parameters on pre- notification of flight testing of missiles.
The entire morning session was dedicated to discussions on the pre-notification of missile tests and drafts were exchanged back and forth for formulation of an agreement, it is learnt.
In the afternoon session the two sides had a discussion on a joint statement to be issued on Wednesday at the conclusion of the talks. There was also discussion on establishing reliable communication and a general exchange on the respective security concepts, officials privy to the talks said.
The talks also covered up gradation of the hotline between DGMOs and establishing a hotline between the two foreign secretaries, they said. Officials here refused to speculate on whether any agreements would be firmed up by Wednesday.
"Nothing is agreed till everything is agreed," was the response from one delegate. The Indian delegation also called on Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri in the afternoon at the end of the first session.
CONVENTIONAL CBMs: Another expert level meeting to discuss confidence-building measures in the conventional field will be held on Wednesday at the foreign ministry here.
The talks will focus on a framework for the development of CBMs in the conventional field. Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan characterized the forthcoming meeting as "exploratory" and said it would mark the beginning of a process.
"This will be the first proper and formal meeting and we will try to understand where we are and where we can go," he stated. The Pakistani side will be led at the meeting by Foreign Ministry's Director General Jalil Abbas Jilani while the Indian side will be led by Joint Secretary Arun Kumar Singh.
Given that India has an edge over Pakistan in the conventional field these talks acquire special significance for Islamabad which is keen to see some progress on this front.
However, officials say expectations are very modest because this is a preliminary getting-to-know kind of a meeting at which both sides will share their perspectives on the issue. "It is highly unlikely that any CBMs would take any concrete shape at this stage, except a general exchange of views," informed sources maintained.
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