'Indo-Pak talks on CBMs to help foster greater understanding'

Islamabad,Dec 27: Pakistan on Tuesday, Dec 27 said that its ongoing talks with India on nuclear and conventional CBMs will help forge greater understanding between the two sides, amid reports that it has proposed to New Delhi that artillery and mortars should be deployed 30 km away from the LoC.

India and Pakistan need to understand each other's nuclear doctrines and ongoing talks on nuclear and conventional confidence-building measures will help foster greater understanding, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said.

The ongoing parleys will help the two countries to understand each other's viewpoint, Basit told the media as senior Indian and Pakistani officials began the second phase of two-day talks on nuclear and conventional CBMs. The Joint Working Group on nuclear and conventional CBMs is meeting after four years to share notes and exchange views on existing CBMs, Basit said.

India and Pakistan will make "further progress on issues during bilateral talks in the coming months," he said.

Meanwhile, the Dawn newspaper quoted its sources as saying that Pakistan had yesterday proposed to India that artillery and mortars should be deployed 30 km away from the Line of Control. The proposal was made during the first phase of the two-day talks that focussed on conventional CBMs. Pakistan also proposed measures for repatriating individuals who inadvertently cross the border and suggested an agreement to prevent incidents at sea, the daily reported.

PTI