CBMs, if disregarded and abused, can be worse than none at all. The building of trust requires reliability. It is an open question whether the building of trust through CBMs can sometimes require the deliberate avoidance of some particularly sensitive issues. The cases of Berlin and of Kashmir were raised in this connection. It was argued that neither side needs to wait for encouragement or clearance from the international community to make a positive gesture.
Unilateral measures can be effective catalysts for a confidence building process.
There was no agreement on implications for China. It was also argued that it is important for South Asia to develop a regional approach to empowering civil society and to hold governments accountable so that the process of talking about CBMs becomes a CBM in itself. Donors could be encouraged to pay to enhance security in the region. To address the fact that there prevails much confusion between policies and postures, every effort should be made to increase communications and clarity on matters related to CBMs.