New Delhi: India has rejected Pakistan's
proposal to move heavy artillery and mortars away from the
Line of Control citing frequent ceasefire violations and asked
Islamabad to come clear on its nuclear policy, including
command and control over nuclear assets.
This was conveyed to the Pakistani officials by India
during the two-day talks on nuclear and conventional
confidence building measures that were held in Islamabad after
a gap of four years, sources said here on Thursday.
During the talks India conveyed to Pakistan on the need
to demonstrate in practical measure restraint and
responsibility in the nuclear field and urged it facilitate
the talks on the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty.
India expressed its inability to accept the Pakistani
proposal of relocating heavy artillery citing the ongoing
violations of ceasefire along the LoC, the sources said.
New Delhi cannot look at such proposals till the
situation on the LoC improves, they said.
External Affairs Minister SM Krishna is slated to
visit Pakistan to review the progress of the talks and both
sides are keen to have the meetings between Home Secretaries,
Water Resources Secretaries, Defence Secretaries and Foreign
Secretaries before the visit.
On the nuclear CBMs, India made it clear to Pakistan that
views on nuclear doctrines could be exchanged only when
official documents enunciating the policies are available in
the public domain.
Officials pointed out that India had announced its
nuclear doctrine of credible minimum deterrence in 2003 which
places the command and control of nuclear devices with the
civilian leadership.
PTI
First Published: Friday, December 30, 2011, 00:17