Pakistan test-fires nuke-capable missile

Pakistan on Wednesday test-fired a medium range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead but insisted it was not sending a signal to India amid continuing peace moves with its regional rival.

The Hatf-IV (Shaheen-1) missile, which can hit targets up to 700 kilometers (437 miles) away, was launched from an undisclosed location, a military spokesman told AFP.

The test was Pakistan's sixth this year and the second in 10 days. Pakistan and India, who carried out tit-for-tat nuclear detonations in 1998, both conduct regular missile launches.

Foreign office spokesman Masood Khan said the test was not meant to send any message to India. The two countries are engaged in a peace dialogue aimed at resolving all issues including the disputed Himalayan state of Kashmir.

"It is not a signal to India. Maint-aining our nuclear deterrence is a national priority," Khan said. "Such tests are conducted periodically to validate technical parameters of our missile tests."

Pakistan had informed its neighbours before launching the indigenously developed missile, the military said, adding that the test was "successful".

The test was to validate "additional technical parameters" of the missile, which is already part of Pakistan's military inventory.

Pakistan tested a Ghaznavi short-range nuclear-capable missile on November 29.

Later Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf said in Paris that test-firing of a medium range missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead does not contradict its policy of rapprochement with India.

"We know they are a nuclear power and they know we are. We inform each other when there are missile tests. There is no violation of our confidence-building measures," Musharraf said at a briefing with journalists.

"Pakistan's policy is based on minimum defensive deterrence. When they (India) went nuclear, we went nuclear. When they started producing missiles, we did. We believe in maintaining our dignity and national sovereignty," he said.