Anti-missile proliferation efforts should not hit country's right to acquire dual use tech: Pak

Pakistan today said it has urged the Missile Technology Control Regime that the anti-missile proliferation efforts should not impact the right of developing nations to acquire dual-use technologies for socio-economic development.

A delegation of Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), led by its co-Chairs from Ireland and Iceland, yesterday visited Pakistan and held discussions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Reaffirming Pakistan's continuing commitment to the goals of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery means, the Pakistani side underlined that control measures should not impinge on the developing countries' legitimate right of access to dual-use technologies for socio-economic progress, the Foreign Office (FO) said, in a statement today.

The FO said this was the third consecutive visit by the MTCR outreach Mission to Pakistan in as many years and both sides exchanged views on export control measures relevant to MTCR and the latest political as well as technical development in this area.

Pakistan side was led by Director General, Strategic Export Control Division, Zafar Ali who briefed the visiting delegation about Pakistan's comprehensive administrative, legislative and regulatory export control measures.

He also highlighted full compatibility of Pakistan's measures with the best international standards and coverage of items and technologies controlled by the MTCR.

The MTCR is an informal grouping of 35 states that seeks to prevent missile proliferation by voluntarily adhering to common export policy guidelines related to missiles and missile technologies.