Pakistan is to sign an agreement with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) on exchange of security information, sources close to Secretary Defence told Business Recorder. Ministry of Foreign Affairs intimated that during the first meeting of the Nato-Pakistan Steering Group in Islamabad on May 19, 2010, Ambassador Robert Simmons, Deputy Assistant Secretary General of Nato for security co-operation and partnership handed over a draft security agreement to Pakistan.
The agreement constitutes a technical framework which would allow for the release and exchange of classified information in the context of co-operative activities agreed between Pakistan and Nato and sets the requirements for proper protection of such classified information. Ministry of Foreign Affairs argues that the agreement does not create any obligation to provide any information, nor a right of access to any information that is discussed and decided in any other forum, sources added.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the agreement is standard template approved by Nato Council in 1999. Nato has concluded this agreement with approximately 55 countries including 28 member states, contact countries, partnership for peace countries under Mediterranean Dialogue, Istanbul Cooperation Initiative thus including most of the Gulf countries and the countries on the Mediterranean coast. Joint Staff Headquarters (JSHQ) has requested the agreement be signed.
The sources said draft agreement has been vetted by the military legal experts who have concluded that there is nothing adverse to the interest of the state/armed forces. Therefore, Ministry of Defence has proposed signing of agreement with Nato on the security of information. Ministry of Law and Justice has also vetted the draft agreement from legal point of view.