ISLAMABAD, Aug 13: Pakistan could discuss mutual defence cuts with India only after the outstanding differences were resolved, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said today.

``I don't believe in an arms race with any country in the world and for that both Pakistan and India will have to sit down and resolve their differences and once this is done then we can discuss defence cuts,'' he told foreign media persons here on the eve of Pakistan's independence day.

He was responding to a query on Prime Minister IK Gujral's recent offer for mutual defence cuts by India and Pakistan. Sharif also favoured a summit meeting with Gujral in the near future, saying ``I think this is an excellent idea. I have always been a very strong supporter of these things and there should be no harm in meeting each other.''

There had been tensions and misunderstanding between India and Pakistan during the last 50 years, he said, and added, however, ``We would like to remove those misunderstandings and we would certainly like to repose confidence in each other.''

While expressing his confidence that the recently initiated dialogue process between India and Pakistan will ``bear fruits'', Sharif, however, urged India to show some gestures like withdrawing troops from Kashmir and give right of self-determination to Kashmiris.

``During my meeting with Gujral in Maldives a few months ago, I did express my desire on this and I told him that we must now quickly resolve these problems,'' he said adding ``We are happy that the process of dialogue has started.''

While describing Gujral as a ``very sincere man, keen to resolve problems,'' Sharif said ``I hope that we will move forward with speed and the talks which are taking place will bear fruits.''

He said Pakistan is looking forward to the third round of Foreign Secretaries-level talks in New Delhi next month, but added that key issues like Kashmir needed to be resolved early.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.