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Talk of strategic pact worries Pakistan

The Pakistan government today said the Russian proposal regarding a strategic agreement among China, India and Russia would have an adverse impact on nuclear non-proliferation efforts in south Asia and the country's dialogue with India.

"South Asia as a region can hardly afford an arms race and further diversion of huge amounts of funds which must consequently be sunk in the purchase of latest weaponry,'' a foreign ministry spokesperson said in Islamabad.

India already maintains the fourth largest conventional military force in the world and further accumulation of military power "will reinforce its intransigence towards resolution of issues and reduction of tension" in the region, the Pakistani spokesperson said.

"These developments are bound to have an adverse impact on our efforts to promote a strategic restraint regime in a nuclearised south Asia,'' he said.

Russia was a party to the statement issued by several nations after India and then Pakistan exploded nuclear devices in May "to do all they could to facilitate a reduction of regional tensions and to foster and strengthen peace and security in south Asia," the spokesperson said.

UNI

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