Pakistan test fires nuclear-capable missile
Agence France-Presse
Nov 16, 2006 - 5:55:53 AM
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Thursday test fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile, the military said, a day after agreeing to fresh atomic safety measures at talks with rival India.
The Hatf V missile with a range of 1,300 kilometers was fired from an undisclosed location and the test was successful, it said.
"The missile is already in service and the test was conducted to check technical parameters," military spokesman Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan told AFP.
Regional rivals Pakistan and India have routinely conducted missile tests since carrying out tit-for-tat nuclear detonations in May 1998, alarming the world.
Top Indian and Pakistani diplomats concluded two days of talks in New Delhi on Wednesday at which they agreed to create a panel to share intelligence on terrorism and move to cut the risk of nuclear weapon "accidents".
The talks rekindled a peace process put on hold since July's Mumbai train bombings.
The two countries "expressed satisfaction over the implementation of the agreement on pre-notification of flight testing of ballistic missiles", they said.
They also agreed on the "early signing" of an agreement to reduce the risk of "accidents relating to nuclear weapons", without giving a specific time frame. The two sides are to meet next in Islamabad in February.
Nov 16, 2006 - 5:55:53 AM
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Thursday test fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile, the military said, a day after agreeing to fresh atomic safety measures at talks with rival India.
The Hatf V missile with a range of 1,300 kilometers was fired from an undisclosed location and the test was successful, it said.
"The missile is already in service and the test was conducted to check technical parameters," military spokesman Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan told AFP.
Regional rivals Pakistan and India have routinely conducted missile tests since carrying out tit-for-tat nuclear detonations in May 1998, alarming the world.
Top Indian and Pakistani diplomats concluded two days of talks in New Delhi on Wednesday at which they agreed to create a panel to share intelligence on terrorism and move to cut the risk of nuclear weapon "accidents".
The talks rekindled a peace process put on hold since July's Mumbai train bombings.
The two countries "expressed satisfaction over the implementation of the agreement on pre-notification of flight testing of ballistic missiles", they said.
They also agreed on the "early signing" of an agreement to reduce the risk of "accidents relating to nuclear weapons", without giving a specific time frame. The two sides are to meet next in Islamabad in February.
posted by Marko at 11/16/2006 08:00:00 AM
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