Benazir welcomes Indo-Pak talks on nuclear conflict safeguards
Pakistan Times National News Desk

DUBAI (United Arab Emirates): Pakistan's ex-Prime Minister Ms Benazir Bhutto has welcomed Indo-Pakistan talks focused on creation of nuclear conflict safeguards.

Via a statement, wired to Pakistan's first independent daily e-Newspaper, 'Pakistan Times' on Tuesday, Ms Bhutto said that; 'the Pakistan Peoples Party government, headed by her, was the first to sign a nuclear confidence treaty with India. This was the non-attack on each others nuclear facilities signed in December 1988 with the government of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The PPP doctrine of building tension free relations with India in the spirit of the Simla Accord, she said, has now reached a consensus in Pakistan.

Ms Benazir Bhutto said that the present regime is following in the footsteps of the PPP in negotiating peaceful relations with India, which have remained plagued due to the Kashmir Dispute.

The Indian and Pakistani officials will be meeting in Islamabad to discuss nuclear conflict safeguards. Meanwhile in Kathmandu, Kashmiri leaders from both sides of the Line of Control are meeting to explore confidence building, the PPP chief said.

Significance of dialogue

Ms Benazir Bhutto noted that dialogue aimed at "stopping a nuclear conflict was of enormous importance to the well being of the people of South Asia given that both countries had proven nuclear capabilities".

South Asia was once described as the "most dangerous place on earth". This was when both countries detonated nuclear devices in 1998 against the historical background of their having fought three wars since Independence over Kashmir.

Ms Bhutto recalled that the PPP government had negotiated the non attack on each others nuclear installation agreement in 1988 against the backdrop of further measures for confidence building. These included talks on the mutual reduction and redeployment of troops.

The PPP Chairperson hoped that in addition to the talks on building trust through confidence building with regard to missile tests, the two countries would take up the issue of troops redeployment and reduction.

The ex-Prime Minister said people of South Asia needed to take their place in the international community with pride and respect free of the stigma of poverty and backwardness, excelling in science, technology and medicine.

She said this was possible if the overspending on militaries could be reduced by both countries and funds saved used to tackle ignorance, hunger and malnutrition.

Ms Benazir Bhutto noted that countries prospered which were able to manage their disputes in a peaceful manner and prevent economic hemorrhaging through conflict induced expenditures.●