Sunday, August 7 2005 12:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: In a major breakthrough on nuclear confidence building measures (NCBMs), India and Pakistan yesterday night (August 6, 2005) reached an understanding on the proposed agreement on pre-notification of testing of ballistic missiles and decided to operationalise by next month (September 2005) the hotline between their Foreign Secretaries to "prevent misunderstandings".

A joint statement, issued after intense two-day expert-level talks on NCBMs, said the proposed agreement commits both sides to "pre-notify in a structured format flight testing of ballistic missiles, with the objective of enhancing mutual confidence and engendering predictability and transparency of intent."

The text of the agreement would be referred to the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries for "formalisation", Additional Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry Meera Shankar told reporters in New Delhi after the extended parleys with Pakistan's Additional Secretary in Foreign Office Tariq Osman Hyder.

This was the third round of discussions at the expert-level on the nuclear CBMs, which is one of the eight issues of the ongoing Composite Dialogue Process.

"The two sides agreed to report the progress made in the present round of the talks to the respective Foreign Secretaries, who will decide on the date and venue of the next Expert-level meeting on nuclear CBMs," the statement said.

Flanked by Shankar, Hyder told reporters that the agreement was a "step in the right direction" considering that both the neighbours were nuclear weapon states and have had "complex" relations for the past several years.

"It is important for the two countries to have confidence building measures on the nuclear front for our people and people of the world," he said.

"We should also resolve other issues between us," Hyder said.

Looking forward to Indo-Pak parleys on Conventional CBMs here on Monday, he hoped a similar agreement would be emerge from those talks also.

"In pursuance of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of February 21, 1999, which inter alia provided for undertaking national measures to reduce the risks of accidental or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons under their respective control, the Indian side handed over a draft of such a proposed agreement," the statement said.

Live hotlines to reduce risks

On operationalisation of the hotlines between the Foreign Secretaries, the Joint Statement said it was aimed at "preventing misunderstandings and reducing risks relevant to nuclear issues".

"In this connection, discussions on related technical parameters were held," it said adding details about implementation and testing schedules were also exchanged.

It was agreed that the hotline link will be established in September this year.

"The two sides emphasised the importance of early operationalisation of the hotline link proposed to be established between the Foreign Secretaries, through their respective Foreign Offices, to prevent misunderstandings and reduce risks relevant to nuclear issues," the statement said.

On upgradation of hotlines between the DGMOs of the two countries, Hyder said it would involve making the lines better.

Shankar described the talks as "constructive, positive and purposeful" covering issues related to security concepts and nuclear doctrines and hoped to continue the parleys in the same spirit.

Hyder said the issue of pre-notification of missile tests was the main item on the agenda of the talks and termed as significant firming up of the agreement.

"We have to evolve CBMs for nuclear restraint and dispute resolutions," he said adding such agreements help in thisdirection.

The Pakistani diplomat said there were many other issues in the Composite Dialogue Process involving strategic issues and CBMs.

Hyder, who will be holding talks with Joint Secretary in External Affairs Ministry Dalip Sinha on Monday on Conventional CBMs, said there were "specific ideas" like those on "non-aggresion doctrine, defence doctrine and concrete measures on the ceasefire line which will be discussed. We hope to have equally good progress on these also."

"I look forward to another round of result-oriented talks," he said.

To a question about the recent nuclear deal between the US and India, Hyder said Pakistan also was discussing the issue with Washington.

He said the US should give the nuclear energy to both India and Pakistan so that the "balance is not disturbed" in South Asia.