United Nations: Accusing India of "embarking" on major programmes for nuclear weapons and missiles, Pakistan has said it would continue to develop its "nuclear, missile and related strategic capability" to maintain "minimum credible deterrence".

Pakistan would "continue to develop its nuclear missiles and related strategic capability to maintain the minimum credible deterrence viz-a-viz our Eastern neighbour, which has embarked on major programmes for nuclear weapons, missiles, anti-missiles and conventional arms acquisition and development," its Ambassador to UN, Munir Akram, said without naming India.

Addressing the Security Council meeting yesterday (Apr 28, 2004) after it had adopted a resolution to prevent weapons of mass destruction from falling into hands of terrorists, he said Pakistan has "proposed creation of a strategic restraint regime in South Asia encompassing nuclear-weapons and confidence building measures; a conventional balance of arms and resolution of underlying disputes".

"We hope to promote such a regime under the composite dialogue by the two States," he said in an obvious reference to the Indo-Pak composite dialogue process scheduled to begin in May-June.

Akram said the expert-level meeting between the two countries on nuclear CBMs would be held next month.

He made it clear that Pakistan would not accept any demand for access, much less inspections, of its nuclear and strategic assets, materials and facilities.