Pakistan remains ready to discuss arms control with India

Pakistan has offered to India again its willingness to discuss arms control and restraint measures, the Foreign Office said Thursday.

In his weekly press briefing, the spokesman Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan's nuclear capability is for self-defence and Pakistan's conventional, military and nuclear capability is solely for self-defence " we are committed to credible minimum deterrence," He was replying to a question on India acquiring predators for surveillance.

The Spokesman said that there was an increased understanding at the international level of Pakistan's genuine concern regarding rapidly growing Indian conventional and nuclear capabilities, and their offensives and military doctrines.

He said Pakistan being a peace-loving nation was opposed to conventional or nuclear arms race in the region and maintenance of peace and stability in South Asia was the cornerstone of Pakistan's policy.

He referred to President Obama's call on both Pakistan and India to work together with a view to ensure that their military doctrines do not move in the wrong direction. He said that Pakistan's proposal for strategic regime can provide a basis for mutually agreed restraint measures and avoidance of unnecessary arms race in the region.

The spokesman added that both countries are still in touch to work out modalities for foreign secretary-level talks.

Source:WAM