New Delhi, January 18
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) today met here to discuss a sensitive agenda packed with strategic moves vis a vis Pakistan, Afghanistan and Myanmar and assess the implications of unprovoked firing from the Pakistani side in Akhnoor yesterday.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the CCS, which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, also took several important decisions. These include: (1) An agreement on reducing risk from accidents relating to nuclear weapons to be signed with Pakistan next month when Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri visits India for attending the India-Pakistan Joint Commission meeting. The exact dates of Mr Kasuri’s visit are to be decided. (2) Aid to Afghanistan increased from the current $650 million to $750 million, which comes to approximately Rs 3,375 crore.
A draft agreement on nuclear accidents risk reduction has been ready for months. The agreement was earlier scheduled to be signed in November last during the Foreign Secretary-level talks here, but it could not be done as the Indian Cabinet was yet to give its approval. The two nuclear neighbours already have an agreement on prohibition of attack against nuclear installations and facilities on January 1 every year. India and Pakistan also have a bilateral agreement on pre-notification of ballistic missile tests, operational since 2005.
The CCS decision on Afghanistan comes days before Mr Mukherjee visits Afghanistan (January 23-24). India is one of the biggest financial and logistical aid providers to Afghanistan since the Taliban regime was ousted by US military action in 2001. The assistance covers a wide
array of fields, including health, education and infrastructure development.The CCS is also understood to have discussed and approved the agenda of Mr Mukherjee who travels to Myanmar tomorrow on a crucial bilateral visit. India has been asking for Myanmar’s help in tackling ULFA insurgents who are known to have operated from inside Myanmar. Myanmar’s stand is that it would do the needful if specific information were provided.
Another point of discussion before the CCS was unprovoked firing from Pakistani Rangers in Akhnoor sector when the BSF foiled an infiltration bid by militants in Khour sector of Jammu. Two BSF personnel were injured in the Pakistani firing.
India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan on this issue. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Navtej Sarna said New Delhi had taken up the matter with the Pakistani Foreign Office and asked that the Pakistani Rangers be directed to accept a flag meeting proposed by the BSF. The Akhnoor incident is important as firing from the Pakistani security agencies has been a rarity since the November 23 ceasefire agreement.
