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Pakistan says no agreement on Siachen troops withdrawal

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Sept 29,IRNA -- Pakistan said on Thursday that there is no agreement reached with rival India over the withdrawal of troops from the world highest battle field Siachen Glacier. Indian Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee has reportedly said that India and Pakistan have agreed to withdraw troops from the Siachen Glacier but have different views on marking each other's positions before they pull back.

The two countries were engaged in intense negotiations of reaching an early agreement on withdrawal of troops from the Siachen, Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman said.

He, however, added that there exist some major differences on the modalities of withdrawal which the two sides are trying to address.

Khan was commenting on the Indian defence minister's statement that there was an agreement between Pakistan and India on withdrawal of troops from Siachen.

The Spokesman wondered whether the Indian defence minister was referring to the near agreement reached between the two countries in 1989 which could not be inked at the time.

He reiterated Government of Pakistan's readiness to sign the letter of understanding reached between the two Governments in 1989 without any delay provided the Indian side was ready to do so.

Siachen has been one of the subjects of composite dialogue process between the two sides and the two sides have held several rounds of talks on the issue but an agreement has yet to be finalized.

Pakistan says that India has occupied its areas in Siachen in 80s and wants Indian troops to withdraw from those areas.

Indian Minister for External Affairs Natwar Singh is scheduled to hold talks with his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Kasuri in the first week of October to review progress in the talks.

A meeting between Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this month could not produce any positive results.

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