New Delhi
17 January 2006
Making "positive assessments" of overall improvement in bilateral
relations and the "reduction of trust deficit", India on Tuesday presented two "non-
papers" to Pakistan in which she proposed an understanding not to develop new posts
or defence works along the Line of Control and holding of brigade commander-level flag
meetings.
India also proposed unilaterally to extend the soon-to-be-launched Thar Express
between Khokrapar in Sindh province of Pakistan and Munabao in Rajasthan up to Ajmer
besides upgrading communication links between respective directors-general of military
operation.
The spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs told reporters New Delhi could
announce some new confidence building measures on Wednesday after the talks
between Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and his Pakistani counterpart, Mr Riaz
Mohammad Khan, concluded.
"Some possible new CBMs [could be anounced]," he said. The Pakistani side, in turn,
shared "some ideas on nuclear confidence building measures", he observed. Terrorism
and drug trafficking were discussed with New Delhi placing its "overall concern" on the
table. Jammu and Kashmir will be taken up on Wednesday.
On the draft memorandum of understanding for the reduction of nuclear accident or
unauthorised use of nuclear weapon, handed over to Pakistan, he said, "Pakistan is
studying it. They have given preliminary observations. A detailed response [is expected]
before the expert-level talks in the first half of this year."
The Ministry of External Affairs spokesman said the Pakistani side raised the issue of
India's statement on Balochistan. "The [Indian] foreign secretary responded to that [and]
said that [the statement] spoke for itself. A situation developing in our neighbourhood [is]
of concern to us and [he] rejected the unfounded allegations of Indian interference," he
said.
Both sides discussed the opening of respective consulates in Mumbai and Karachi. "We
discussed the difficulties [faced by Pakistan] and offered them all support in approaching
the state government and facilitating renting of appropriate premises," the spokesman
said in response to a question.
While reviewing the progress of the second round of the composite dialogue process,
the two sides also discussed civil aviation links. The spokesman said both sides had
already agreed in principle to increasing the number of flights to 24 and adding one more
destination.
The two foreign secretaries exchanged dates of the expert- and technical-level meetings.
The Pakistani foreign secretary called on Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed
in the aternoon after the two-and-half-hour delegation-level talks.
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