The Hindu : National : India, Pakistan hold talks on Siachen

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 24, 2006

National

National

India, Pakistan hold talks on Siachen

Special Correspondent

India, Pak. focus on mechanism for mutual authentication

NEW DELHI: The first day of the Tenth Round of Defence Secretary-level discussions ended here on Tuesday with Pakistan Defence Secretary Tariq Waseem Ghazi observing that "everything went as planned."

The discussions stretched beyond the scheduled time as both sides reportedly reiterated their views on the methodology to demilitarise the Siachen Glacier and focussed on the mechanism for authenticating the currently held positions.

India and Pakistan concur on the need to remove the military from the heights of the glacier but a further movement is stuck on the issue of both sides authenticating the currently held positions.

Official sources said both sides were exploring how to move forward on mutual authentication.

With India at an advantage as it holds almost all the high positions on the glacier, the sources said demilitarisation cannot be a "mechanical pull back" due to "asymmetry of positions" held by both sides.

Pakistan, though at a military disadvantageous position, has a large number of its posts connected by road, and can thus ease of access to revert to its positions whereas Indian troops take days to reach their positions.

"We can't risk disengagement, especially from the Saltoro ridge, unless we have clear acceptance of principles of authentication," explained the sources.

The two sides also need to agree on a comprehensive and effective means of surveillance and decide on well laid down procedures for monitoring the area. The talks also include discussions on the monitoring mechanism in case both sides agree to withdraw the troops.

Official sources said the talks were being held in a cordial atmosphere.

The tone was set in the morning itself when the two Defence Secretaries, both former army officers, met for a one-to-one meeting. Scheduled for five minutes, the two officials exchanged views for 45 minutes, delaying the delegation-level talks.

Discussions at the delegation level also spilled beyond the allotted time but with one more day to go, neither side was willing to state whether progress had been made.

Soon after arriving here on Monday, the Pakistan Defence Secretary had said his country was "open to all proposals" and assured that his team had come "with an open positive frame of mind."

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