Pakistan and India exchanged on Saturday information on nuclear installations and facilities, through diplomatic channels, foreign office spokesman said.
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"Both the countries exchange information on the first working day every year, according to Article-II of Pakistan-India agreement on Prohibition of Attacks against each other's nuclear installations and facilities," Masood Khan said. The exchange, which includes stating the exact location of each other's nuclear installations, took place 'through diplomatic channels' in Islamabad and New Delhi simultaneously. The agreement on the prohibition of attacks on each other's nuclear sites was signed between the two nuclear rivals on Dec 31, 1988, and came into force on Jan 27, 1991. Under the terms of the agreement, "Each party shall refrain from undertaking, encouraging or participating in, directly or indirectly, any action aimed at causing the destruction of, or damage to, any nuclear installation or facility in the other country."
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The term 'nuclear installation or facility' includes nuclear power and research reactors, fuel fabrication, uranium enrichment, isotopes separation and reprocessing facilities as well as any other installations with fresh or irradiated nuclear fuel and materials in any form and establishments storing significant quantities of radio-active materials. The agreement also states that the two sides shall inform the other on Jan 1 of each calendar year "of the latitude and longitude of its nuclear installations and facilities and whenever there is any change." The first such exchange between the two countries was held on Jan 1, 1992. Under the agreement both Pakistan and India are to refrain from attacking each other's nuclear facilities in the event of a war. Pakistan and India have also been holding expert level discussions on nuclear confidence-building measures and have narrowed down differences on agreement on pre-notification of flight testing of ballistic missiles. |