By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad/New Delhi : Pakistan and India Thursday exchanged lists of their nuclear installations under an agreement of 1988 amid efforts by both the countries to reduce the tensions over the Mumbai terror attacks.
“The governments of Pakistan and India today exchanged lists of their respective nuclear installations and facilities in accordance with Article-II of the Agreement on Prohibition of Attacks against Nuclear Installations and Facilities between Pakistan and India of 31 December 1988,” a statement from Pakistan’s foreign office said.
The agreement was signed by the then prime ministers of both the countries and was ratified in 1991. The list of nuclear facilities were exchanged Jan 1, 1992 for the first time. Since then both countries have been exchanging lists of only civilian nuclear installations.
Usually both the countries exchange lists in Islamabad and New Delhi simultaneously and at same time.
In Islamabad the ministry of foreign affairs handed over list of Pakistan’s nuclear installations and facilities to an officer of the Indian High Commission at 11 a.m. Pakistan Standard Time. The Indian side handed over their list to an officer of Pakistan High Commission at the ministry of external affairs in New Delhi at 11.30 a.m. Indian Standard Time.
Pakistan and India have a 30 minute time difference with New Delhi ahead of Islamabad.
Under the agreement, both sides are to refrain from attacking nuclear facilities in the event of a war. The neighbours have also set up a telephone hotline to prevent an accidental nuclear conflict.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars, two of them over the Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir.
US President George W. Bush on Wednesday spoke with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. he White House said all had agreed on the need to avoid any increase in tensions.
Pakistan on Tuesday asked India to resume dialogue and urged New Delhi to de-activate its forward air bases and redeploy troops to peacetime locations. India has denied it had moved troops into offensive positions on the border.