A five-member delegation from India arrived here on Monday to hold expert level talks on nuclear confidence building measures (CBMs) with Pakistan, local media reported.

A report of the local English language newspaper Daily Times said that both sides are scheduled to hold three meetings on defense issues in Islamabad this week.

Among them is an expert level meeting on nuclear CBMs scheduled for December 14 and 15. The meeting will also discuss the draft of the proposed agreement on advance notification of missile tests.

Another meeting scheduled for December 15 and 16 will discuss conventional CBMs. A third meeting scheduled for December 14 and 15 will discuss the joint survey of the boundary pillars on the horizontal segment in the Sir Creek Area.

Mira Shankar, additional secretary at the Indian External Affairs Ministry, will lead the Indian delegation at talks on nuclear CBMs. The delegation includes senior defense officials, the report said.

"It will be the second meeting on nuclear CBMs between the two countries and they are likely to reach an agreement on advance notification of missile tests," the report quoted sources as saying.

The first meeting concluded on June 20 this year in New Delhi in which both sides agreed to work out technical parameters on pre-notification of flight-testing of missiles.

Arun Kumar Singh, joint secretary for South Asia at Indian External Affairs Ministry, will lead the Indian side at talks on conventional CBMs.

"During these two separate engagements on nuclear as well as conventional CBMs, both sides are likely to focus on strategic stability, nuclear and missile restraint and conventional stability in the region," sources said.

The deputy surveyor general of India will lead the Indian side at talks on the Sir Creek Area. "Both sides will hold bilateral talks and also inspect the Sir Creek area together during their two-day engagement," sources said.

The conclusion of the three meetings will mark the end of the second round of talks under the composite dialogue between the two countries. Foreign secretaries of the two countries will review the outcome of these talks on December 27 and 28.

Source: Xinhua