Pakistan said on Monday that it will abide by its 'solemn pledge' that it would not be the first country in the region to resume nuclear tests. However, it declined to respond positively to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan's call to all countries to sign Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

"In this region, we will not be first to resume the tests. It is a solemn commitment," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Naeem Khan told reporters in Islamabad, when asked about Annan's call.

Pakistan conducted tit-for-tat nuclear tests in May 1998 after India conducted its tests. It says its policy was that it would not resume nuclear tests until India does.

To a question about any response from Afghanistan over Islamabad's offer for fencing the Durand line, Khan said there has been no formal response yet. He said Pakistan has been cooperating with Afghanistan.

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He said the proposed fencing was not meant to create problems for the people on both sides of the border, but Pakistan only desires that peace and stability returns to Afghanistan. "We do not want any irritants to remain between the two countries," he said.

On the recent attacks launched by Israel against the Palestinians, Khan said, "We are opposed to violence as it is not in the interest of peace and should be avoided. He declined to condemn Israeli missile attacks on Hamas activists.

He denied that there had been some change in Pakistan's position with reference to Israel and said there has been no movement towards the recognition of Israel.