India, Pak to continue talks over Siachen today
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, May 24, IRNA
India-Pak-Siachen talks
To settle differences over the issue of demilitarization of the Siachen glacier, India and pakistan will resume defence secretary-level talks later today after both nations appeared to have made little headway in talks yesterday.
Both countries appeared to have made little headway in talks on their differences on the issue of authentication of actual ground positions held by the two sides on the first day of their two-day talks.
Seeking to implement an understanding on demilitarization of the glacier, the two countries' defence secretaries met here to discuss the disengagement and proposals for authentication of the present troop deployment on the world's highest battlefield.
"We are still continuing the discussions. We have to work out a procedure for authentication. We have to see how we can address this issue," sources said after the first day's parleys.
India is insisting that there should be proper authentication of present positions held by the two countries in Siachen if
disengagement was to take place.
With the Kargil experience fresh in mind, New Delhi maintains that it is not possible for it to "risk" disengagement unless there is "clear acceptance of authentication" by Islamabad.
Pakistan has so far refused to accept authentication and for this reason no agreement has been reached.
Moreover, without mutual acceptance of authentication, there can be no movement on issues like modalities of disengagement.
New Delhi also wants back-up of an effective and comprehensive surveillance and monitoring mechanism to be part of the disengagement process.
The Indian side in the talks is led by Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt while the Pakistan delegation is headed by Defence Secretary Lt Gen (ret'd) Tariq Waseem Ghazi.
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