NEW DELHI, June 20: Pakistan and India on Sunday expressed their commitment to working towards strategic stability and proposed regular working-level meetings among all the nuclear powers to discuss issues of common concern.

Speaking at a press conference here at the Pakistan High Commission, Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said that both countries would work towards concluding an agreement with technical parameters on pre-notification of flight-testing of missiles, a draft of which was handed over by the Indian side.

Mr Khan also read out a seven-point joint statement issued after the final round of talks on nuclear-related confidence-building measures held between the two countries.

The spokesman who was a member of the Pakistani delegation, said that both sides agreed to establish a dedicated and secure hotline between the two foreign secretaries through their respective foreign offices to prevent misunderstandings and reduce risks relevant to nuclear issues.

The existing hotline between the directors-general military operations (DGMOs) would be upgraded, dedicated and secured, he said, adding that both sides agreed to report the progress of the talks to the respective foreign secretaries who would meet on June 27-28.

In response to a question on the peace process between the two countries, Mr Khan said: "We are on track and we are on schedule. After the talks on nuclear CBMs, the foreign secretaries of the two countries would meet on June 27-28 and discuss the issues on security and Kashmir.

"Then we expect talks at an appropriate level on all other items of the agenda and this process should mature and culminate in meetings between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan in August this year," he added.

In response to a question about the meeting between the foreign ministers in August, Mr Khan said: "This is a concrete proposal and part of the calendar of activities, agreed at the meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries in February this year in Islamabad."

Speaking about the future meetings between the foreign ministers of the two countries, he said they would be meeting in China tomorrow. "Then we hope Mr Natwar Singh along with other Saarc foreign ministers would come to Islamabad for the Saarc ministerial meeting and we will a have meeting between the two foreign ministers on its sidelines."

Masood Khan said: "As far as our bilateral dialogue calendar is concerned, it would culminate in August this year."

In response to another question, he said a broad agreement between President Pervez Musharraf and former prime minister of India Atal Behari Vajpayee was reached in January this year and a concrete shape to the agreement was given at the meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries on Feb 18 in Islamabad and they finalized a calendar of activities.

Because of the January meeting and the later meeting between the two foreign secretaries in February, he said, we were able to make the process of composite dialogue predictable and had a calendar of activities and meetings and we were pursuing that.

"So this is progress, the two tracks of confidence-building and dialogue are proceeding and we are pressing ahead with them," he added. In response to a question about discussion on the common nuclear doctrine proposed by India, Mr Khan said there was a general exchange of views on all issues.

The leader of the Pakistani delegation Mr Tariq Osman Hyder had called on Mr Natwar Singh and all dimensions were covered and all issues discussed but there was no specific focus on this proposal, he added.

When asked whether matters regarding a cap on the number of missiles and warheads figured at the talks, he said: "Yes in a general sense but we are moving step-by-step."

"It is an incremental approach," he said, adding the areas being focused by both sides was implementation of whatever had been agreed. "This is the spirit," he maintained.

About the Indian draft agreement spelling out technical parameters on pre-notification of flight-testing of missiles handed over to Pakistan, Mr Khan said under the MoU of 1999, the two sides had agreed to notify each other on test-firing of ballistic missiles. Both sides were informing each other in that regard.

"But we have to formalize this arrangement. That is why both sides are keen to finalize an agreement. This is in pursuit of what has been done in Lahore," he said, adding that the Pakistani side was looking at the text of the draft and a preliminary exchange of views had taken place.

In reply to a question, Mr Khan said India and Pakistan would hold expert-level talks tomorrow to sort out differences on the Baglihar hydro-power project being built on Chenab river in held Kashmir.

"There are some differences. Pakistan has its own position and India has its own. We have been talking about it for quite sometime without reaching any conclusion," he said, adding that recently India had agreed to have technical-level talks and upgrade them to the secretary-level. This is a significant movement, he added. -APP