On 21 February, the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) about measures "aimed at the avoidance of conflict". The signing was greeted by a collective sigh of relief in the two countries as well as in the international community.
But for all that, one can never forget that there is a nuclear cloud inside this silver lining. If one believes that nuclear restraint is only one step towards the real goal – nuclear disarmament – and that life under a blazing nuclear shroud is not an acceptable state of affairs, it is important to place this MOU in the perspective of disarmament in South Asia. To understand the kind of lobbying and activism this MOU suggests, it is crucial to identify what the MOU really means.
The underlying theme of the MOU's operative paragraphs focuses on reducing the probability of conflict caused by misunderstanding. The agreements reached are simple. Each will notify the other of ballistic missile test flights and of any accidental or unauthorised nuclear incidents. Measures for preventing untoward incidents at sea will be taken. Both sides will abide by their respective moratoriums on further nuclear testing.
Existing confidence-building measures and communication links will be reviewed and improved. And discussions will be held on "security, disarmament and non-proliferation issues within the context of negotiations on these issues in multilateral fora".