Lynn C. Woolsey: “the border between India and Pakistan has commonly been called the world's most dangerous nuclear flashpoint. India is…”

“the border between India and Pakistan has commonly been called the world's most dangerous nuclear flashpoint. India is thought to have at least 50, maybe as many as 120, nuclear warheads; and Pakistan is thought to have 30 to 70 warheads, but the two countries took a step towards nonproliferation on Sunday when they signed their first confidence-building agreement on nuclear weapons since 1999. As part of the agreement, both countries will keep open a permanent telephone hotline to warn the other in advance of tests of nuclear-capable missiles. The confidence-building measures also included an agreement to continue the moratorium on testing nuclear warheads and a promise to continue nuclear talks. While largely symbolic, this agreement is significant because it represents the desire of both India and Pakistan, two countries consistently at odds with each other, to avoid a devastating nuclear exchange that could kill hundreds of thousands of people. The United States could take some valuable lessons, Mr. Speaker, from this India-Pakistan agreement. At the same time these two countries are seeking to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons, the United States is funding millions of dollars in research on new nuclear weapons.”