Pakistan proposes partnership with India on nuclear safety

Islamabad: Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry has proposed partnership with India on nuclear safety and security, media repored on Friday.

Chaudhary said this on Thursday while addressing a conference here on "Assessing South Asia's Nuclear Security", Dawn online reported.

Pakistan and India have an agreement on nuclear accidents and an expert group on nuclear confidence-building measures, though it is currently dormant because of the freeze in bilateral ties.

The two countries are also signatories to several international conventions, including those on nuclear safety, early notification of a nuclear accident, assistance in case of a nuclear accident or radiological emergency and physical protection of nuclear material and facilities.

Under the conventions and instruments, the two countries could share best practices, experience and expertise, Chaudhry suggested.

The proposal comes from the realisation that despite problems in their ties, the two countries have a special responsibility to cooperate in the field of nuclear security.

Suggesting cooperation on development of an independent regulatory framework, Chaudhry said Pakistan had extensive experience in maintaining an independent nuclear regulatory body.

The latest proposal comes after Pakistan last month proposed a bilateral moratorium on testing of nuclear weapons which was related to Islamabad's candidature for the Nuclear Suppliers Group.