India and Pakistan have reviewed conventional confidence-building measures (CBMs) during the first phase of two-day talks being held in Islamabad as part of the bilateral peace process.

The first meeting of the Joint Working Group on nuclear and conventional CBMs since October 2007, began at the Foreign Office on Monday.

Diplomatic sources told PTI that during the session, officials from the two sides reviewed a range of conventional CBMs that were put in place in the past.

Yashwant K Sinha, Joint Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry headed the Indian group on conventional CBMs. A senior general represented the Defence Ministry in the 10-member Indian delegation. A group led by D. Bala Verma, Director General (disarmament and international security affairs) will discuss nuclear CBMs today. The Pakistani side at the talks is led by Additional Secretary Munawar Saeed Bhatti.

Though this is the first meeting of the Joint Working Group in four years, other officials, including the two Foreign Secretaries, have discussed nuclear and conventional CBMs in recent meetings in Islamabad and New Delhi.