In accordance with the agreement between the Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan in February 2004,Expert Level talks on Nuclear Confidence Building Measures were held in New Delhi from 19-20 June 2004. Dr.Sheel Kant Sharma, Additional Secretary (IO), headed the Indian delegation and Mr. Tariq Osman Hyder,Additional Secretary (UN and EC) led the Pakistan side. The visiting Pakistani delegation also called on theExternal Affairs Minister Shri K. Natwar Singh, the National Security Advisor Shri JN Dixit and the ForeignSecretary Shri Shashank.
The talks were held in a cordial and constructive atmosphere.
Both sides:
Conscious of the need to promote a stable environment of peace and security between the two countries,
Recognizing that the nuclear capabilities of each other, which are based on their national securityimperatives, constitute a factor for stability,
Advertisement
Committed to national measures to reduce the risks of accidental or unauthorized use of nuclearweapons under their respective controls and to adopt bilateral notification measures and mechanisms to preventmisunderstandings and misinterpretations,
Conscious of their obligation to their peoples and the international community,
Committed to work towards strategic stability,
Agreed on the following:
- The existing hotline between the DGMOs would be upgraded, dedicated and secured.
- A dedicated and secure hotline would be established between the two Foreign Secretaries, through theirrespective Foreign Offices to prevent misunderstandings and reduce risks relevant to nuclear issues.
- Both countries will work towards concluding an Agreement with technical parameters on pre-notification offlight testing of missiles, a draft of which was handed over by the Indian side.
- Each side reaffirmed its unilateral moratorium on conducting further nuclear test explosions unless, inexercise of national sovereignty, it decides that extraordinary events have jeopardized its supreme interests.
- Both countries would continue bilateral discussions and hold further meetings to work towards theimplementation of the Lahore MoU of 1999.
- Both countries will continue to engage in bilateral consultations on security and non-proliferation issueswithin the context of negotiations on these issues in multilateral fora.
- Both countries called for regular working level meetings to be held among all the nuclear powers to discussissues of common concern.
Both sides agreed to report the progress of the talks to the respective Foreign Secretaries who would meet on27-28 June 2004.
New Delhi
20 June 2004
