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Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 13, 2005

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Siachen: Karamat hints at accord

B. Muralidhar Reddy

New York meeting may lead to troop withdrawal

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Jehangir Karamat has hinted at the possibility of an agreement on withdrawal of troops from Siachen and reduction of troops by India from urban centres in the Kashmir Valley at the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pervez Musharraf in New York.

In an interview to Pakistan Observer in New York, Mr. Karamat said that looking at the pace of the composite dialogue tangible progress might be made on the Siachen issue.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Naeem Khan, however, declined to comment on the news report. "All I can say is that the meeting between Gen. Musharraf and Mr. Singh will be substantive."

Conflicting stand

India and Pakistan have agreed in principle on demilitarisation of Siachen. However, there has been no progress on the interpretation of the Benazir Bhutto-Rajiv Gandhi agreement. The Indian position is that troops withdrawal will have to be preceded by a demarcation of the positions held by both sides prior to 1974. Pakistan insists that the withdrawal will have to be unconditional.

According to the newspaper, the meeting between Dr. Singh and the Hurriyat leaders was productive and could lead to the withdrawal of troops from urban centres in the Valley, a demand made by Islamabad as part of confidence-building measures.

Mr. Karamat said the New York meeting was taking place within days of the conclusion of the second round of composite dialogue.

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