India, Pakistan to elaborate CBMs

Indian and Pakistani officials participating in the two-day talks on nuclear confidence building spent the first day on Saturday trying to find areas of convergence.

"The two delegations identified areas of convergence including in the context of multilateral fora. They also exchanged views on their respective security concepts and nuclear doctrines and agreed to elaborate and work towards CBMs," external affairs ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

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According to Pakistan foreign office spokesman Masood Ahmed Khan, the two sides have already narrowed down and identified certain areas where there was possibility of consensus, and this was likely to be taken further on the second day.

Indian sources said the new government in New Delhi was "essentially trying to understand Pakistan's nuclear doctrine while earnestly and sincerely explaining the rationale behind the Indian doctrine to the Pakistani delegation. We are hoping to come up with measures which reassure both sides".

The two sides also discussed a ban on further testing and tried to find 'non-intrusive' ways' of ensuring compliance with other suggested measures, like separating warheads from delivery systems and 'standing down' weapons from the border, said an official requesting anonymity.

Masood Khan told Geo television that the outcome of and the recommendations that emerge from this dialogue would be submitted to the respective foreign secretaries who kick off the 'comprehensive dialogue' on June 27 and 28 in New Delhi, since peace and security was also on the agenda of their talks.