Nuclear hot line

New Delhi

India and Pakistan agreed this week to set up a hot line between their foreign secretaries to prevent misunderstandings that could lead to nuclear war. The breakthrough is the latest step in peace negotiations that began in January, after Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf promised to prevent Islamic militants from using Pakistani territory to attack Indian forces in the disputed province of Kashmir. The two sides said they would continue discussions about additional confidence-building measures. “The spirit right now in the nuclear realm is to transcend beyond the rhetoric,” said Pakistani spokesman Masood Khan, “and do something substantive and concrete.”