Article Posted on : - Jun 30, 2009

A file photo of Moscow city.

Moscow (PTI): Russian and Pakistani diplomats have discussed a wide range of issues of international and regional security, including nuclear non-proliferation, officials said Tuesday.

"The Russia-Pakistan Consultation Group on Strategic Stability held its regular meeting in Moscow on June 29, at which the Russian delegation was led by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister S A Ryabkov, the Pakistani side was led by Additional Secretary Muhammad Haroon Shaukat," the Russian Foreign Ministry Office said here in a release.

"Concrete discussions were held on a wide range of topical issues of international and regional security, including non-proliferation of missile and nuclear weapons technology, and bilateral interaction in various fields," the ministry said, adding the next meeting of the group would be held in Pakistan.

Moscow, which sees a close link between the developments in Pakistan and Afghanistan, has proposed a trilateral mechanism to end terror and insurgency in the area.

At the closing press conference at this month's Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Yekaterinburg, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had declared that without the elimination of "nests of terror" in Pakistan the situation in Afghanistan cannot be resolved.

On the sidelines of SCO summit, Medvedev had bilateral and trilateral meetings with the presidents of Pakistan and Afghanistan and offered them full assistance in combating Taliban insurgency.