Pak rejects no-first strike offer
Sharif calls for resolution on Kashmir

ISLAMABAD, Oct 16 (PTI) — Pakistan today rejected India’s offer of a no-first use pact on nuclear weapons, even as both the sides agreed to form a joint panel of experts to explore mutual confidence measures and "full range" of peace and security issues.

New Delhi renewed its offer during the first session of the resumed bilateral talks between Foreign Secretary K Raghunath and his Pakistani counterpart Shamshad Ahmad but the Pakistani side dubbed it as only in India’s interests, diplomatic sources said.

On the opening day of the three-day talks which resumed after a gap of 13 months, the two sides "agreed to review the existing confidence-building measures in order to enhance their efficacy", Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Tariq Altaf told mediapersons.

A group of technical experts had been asked to explore various issues of confidence-building measures and it held separate talks after the delegation-level parleys, he said.

In another development, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who held a meeting with Mr Raghunath, announced the release of all Indian fishermen and boats in Pakistani custody, Pakistan television reported tonight.

Mr Raghunath handed over a message of goodwill from Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to Mr Sharif, PTV said.

The television quoted Mr Sharif as having said that India and Pakistan should reach an understanding on issues related to atomic and conventional weapons to ease tension in the region.

Emphasising that a "stable, prosperous and secure Pakistan is in the interest of India", Mr Raghunath said "India is committed to building a peaceful and friendly relationship with Pakistan," the sources said.

During the discussions on question of confidence-building measures, there were convergence of views in some areas like the need for stable communication between the defence forces of both countries and also that the confidence-building measures already in place needed to be focused.

Emerging from the first-round of parleys, Pakistan Foreign Secretary said: "We will be able to come up with something categorical only after we have completed the present run of talks". He went on to add that "we are not expected to produce results after every session."

Amar Chandel adds: Saturday will be a crucial day since it will be devoted exclusively to discussions on the Kashmir issue. As usual the two countries are looking at the dispute from the two ends of the telescope. Pakistani circles are trying to project it as some kind of a major victory of diplomatic initiative and international pressure that Indians have been made to come to the negotiating table and debate the Kashmir issue which "they had been averting for years".

The Indian side has an entirely different perception as articulated by the Foreign Secretary, Mr K Raghunath, on arrival here last night. He categorically stated that the two sides had agreed to discuss not "the Kashmir issue, but issues related to Kashmir". He even clarified that if anything would be discussed regarding Kashmir, it would be Pakistan-held Kashmir and the northern areas illegally annexed by Pakistan.

That has snatched from Pakistan’s jaws a delicious bite of morsel which was being exhibited as a major change in Delhi’s stand. For that reason, the Pakistani mood has suddenly turned sombre. As expected, it has been making much of the forthcoming military exercises by India. Pakistan Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz sounded decisively pessimistic when he said he did not foresee an early outcome of the talks because the exercise had marred the atmosphere.

Foreign Secretary Shamshad Ahmad used a more diplomatic language. He admitted that while his country did not question the right of any country to conduct military exercises within its own territory, "in this particular case we feel that symbolically, the timing is unfortunate". Mr Raghunath tried to dispel that impression by saying that the exercises were routine and there should be no attempt to sensationalise these.

The Pakistani press has also been reflecting a similar mood. On the day of the arrival of the Foreign Secretary yesterday, The Nation headlined its report as: "Are they really coming for talks?". This paper at least had the story on its front page. The News buried it inside.

A positive development is that Mr Shamshad Ahmad has officially stated that the next round of talks in Delhi will be held as scheduled in the first half of November. The Pakistani stand earlier was that these would be possible if there was some substantial progress during the current round of talks.

He was specifically asked to confirm or deny similar exercises by Pakistan in the near future, but he deftly side-stepped the issue.

Both sides seem to be fully aware of the sea change that has come about in the situation following the nuclear explosions at Pokhran and Chegai. The task now is not only to avert a conflict but also to prevent an arms race of ballistic and nuclear weapons in the region. For that there is need to develop a regime of mutual restraint. Unfortunately, that seems a tall order in the current situation.

Realisation has dawned fully on Pakistan that it has been left behind in the field of economic development due to the tensions in the regions. Hence, there is a need for replacing the arms race with a race for economic development.