DUBAI, June 4: President Pervez Musharraf, in remarks aired on Friday as Pakistan conducted a test of a nuclear-capable missile, said he was prepared to reduce his nuclear arsenal if India did the same.

"We don't have any world wide military ambitions. We maintain a force for deterrence ... If there is a discussion or a deliberation (with India) on mutual reduction, we have been saying that let's make South Asia a nuclear-free zone," he told Al-Arabiya news channel.

"If mutually there is an agreement of reduction of nuclear assets, Pakistan would be willing," Gen Musharraf said. Pakistan and the new Indian government have vowed to carry forward a 14-month old peace process initiated by the Vajpayee government.

Experts will meet in New Delhi on June 19-20 for talks on nuclear confidence building measures (CBMs). Foreign secretaries will then meet on June 27-28, also in New Delhi, to discuss the Kashmir dispute and security issues.

Commenting on the idea floated by India this week of a tripartite discussion among Islamabad, New Delhi and Beijing to evolve a common nuclear doctrine, Gen Musharraf said these were 'very serious issues' which require a lot of analysis and deliberation.

"When we are talking of nuclear CBMs between India and Pakistan, that itself is a difficult job. Now getting China involved, it involves many nuances which one has to consider," he told Dubai-based Al-Arabiya.

Gen Musharraf said that while Indian-Israeli military cooperation was a matter of concern, he did not see Israel as a threat to Pakistan. "Israel is very far away from us geographically, and under the present circumstances, we don't see a threat emanating from Israel," he said.

"We do show concerns when Israel collaborates with India ... But if you are talking of (an) immediate threat coming from Israel, no, that is not in the immediate context," the president added. -AFP