Pakistan stages new missile test

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/6388629.stm

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Pakistan has successfully test-fired a new version of a nuclear-capable missile with a range of 2,000km (1,250 miles), the Pakistani military says.

The missile was launched from an undisclosed location and "successfully hit its target", an official said.

The surface-to-surface Hatf VI (Shaheen II) missile was first tested in March 2005, and then in April last year.

The Hatf VI is Pakistan's longest-range ballistic missile system, with the potential to reach 2,500km.

The test came days after Pakistan foreign minister met his Indian counterpart in Delhi and signed an agreement aimed at reducing the risk of accidental nuclear war in the region.

Tension between Pakistan and India - also a nuclear power - has decreased in recent months amid a series of bilateral overtures.

The two powers stepped back from the brink of war after India blamed Pakistan for involvement in an armed attack on the federal parliament in Delhi in 2001.