Tuesday, April 25 2006 15:29 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: India and Pakistan today (Apr 25, 2006)began expert-level talks on nuclear and conventional confidence building measures (CBMs) during which officials from both sides are expected to finalise a draft agreement on reducing risk of nuclear accidents and prevention of incidents at sea between the navies of both countries.

The three-day talks are being held between Additional Secretary of External Affairs Ministry K.C. Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Tariq Usman Haider.

The parleys on the first two days would be devoted to working out new CBMs on the nuclear front and discussions would be held on April 27 by the same team to explore possibilities for CBMs in the conventional field as well.

This is the fourth time the talks are being held. In the earlier round, both countries reached an agreement on the pre-notification of ballistic testing of nuclear missiles and establishing hotline facilities between the two countries which have since been operationalised.

Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Tasnim Aslam told reporters here yesterday that the two countries were holding talks on an Indian draft on Reducing Risk of Nuclear Accidents.

"It has been discussed and we feel that it is in the interest of both the countries that we do not have a situation where there is any possibility of an accident," she said.

"During the talks today and tomorrow the two sides would discuss Pakistan's proposal of an agreement on prevention of incidents at sea in order to ensure safety of navigation by naval vessels and aircraft belonging to the two sides," she said.