The expert-level talks on confidence building measures (CBMs) will be held December 14-15 in Islamabad, foreign ministry spokesman Masood Khan told AFP.

Pakistani and Indian officials would also discuss setting up a hotline between top foreign ministry civil servants to avoid the possibility of nuclear conflict because of any mishap or misunderstanding, Khan said.

They already have a hotline between senior military commanders, who have conversations scheduled once a week.

Pakistan and India held nuclear tests two weeks apart in 1998 and have since come close to war twice in their dispute over Kashmir.

The two sides have been conducting periodic missile tests throughout a peace dialogue which has been underway since January.

Though an informal agreement about prior notification of missile tests exists between the two South Asian neighbours, the meeting is expected to finalise the draft of a formal agreement, Khan said.

Khan said the meeting would help improve communications between the two sides.

The talks are aimed at establishing "strategic stability" in the region that constitutes nuclear and missile restraint, conventional balance and conflict resolution, Khan said.

"We covered some ground in June this year in New Delhi and we want to build on this momentum and elaborate some concrete CBMs," Khan said.

The first round of talks on nuclear issues was held in the Indian capital New Delhi in June where both reiterated a 1999 agreement that neither country would conduct another nuclear test "unless, in exercise of national sovereignty, it decides that extraordinary events have jeopardised its supreme interests."

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