Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali on Wednesday attended a meeting of Pakistan's Nuclear Command Authority.
The meeting, according to Pakistani media reports, reviewed the development works and the effectiveness of the command and control system. The reports said the meeting, headed by Musharraf, approved a number of proposals put forward by the strategic plan division of the NCA.
The meeting reiterated that while deterrence was the cornerstone of Pakistan's security policy, the country did not believe in arms race.
Besides Musharraf and Jamali, the meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Khurshid Muhammad Kasuri, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff committee, service chiefs and senior military officials.
The NCA meeting was held hours ahead of the high profile visit of United States Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and Assistant Secretary Christina Rocca. The two already had a meeting with ISI Chief Lieutenant General Eshanul Huq in Washington to discuss security-related issues, India-Pakistan relations and US-Pakistan relations.
The meeting was also held in the backdrop of Jamali's suggestion for nuclear and strategic security dialogue between India and Pakistan, while announcing the confidence-building measures. Announcing the measures Jamali had said nuclear realities in the South Asian region imposed certain obligations and responsibilities on India and Pakistan.