Pak hopes for a peaceful relationship with India over next 60 years

Pakistan has hoped for a conflict-free and peaceful relationship with India over the next 60 years.

Islamabad, Aug 14 : Pakistan has hoped for a conflict-free and peaceful relationship with India over the next 60 years.

"We have been saying that the process could progress faster if the two countries benefited from this improved atmosphere," said Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam.

Pakistan would like to see forward movement with India on core issues of conflict, of which Kashmir was the most important, she said.

About the nuclear CBMs with India, Aslam said these were basically meant to ensure that there was no accidental use of nuclear weapons.

She said Pakistan will continue to act with responsibility in maintaining minimum credible deterrence and added: "For the deterrence to be credible, it has to be updated and maintained."

Pakistan has dismissed as "speculative" reports that Washington has knowledge of the location of its nuclear weapons, the Daily Times reported.

Commenting on the security of Pakistan's nuclear assets, "There is no truth ... essentially such claims are to add spice to contentious speculation and reports that go around."

Aslam said US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's recent telephone calls to President were not direct calls, but routed through the Pakistan's Embassy in Washington.

She said Pakistan recognised that insurgents were getting covert help from sympathisers in tribal areas, but did not agree that Afghan insurgency was being sustained by support from Pakistan.

Aslam termed the formation of a council of 50 Afghan and Pakistani notables to pursue dialogue with "opponents of peace" as an important achievement of the peace jirga.

ANI