April 6, 2007
Guarded Optimism as India, Pakistan Discuss Siachen
Islamabad
Top Indian and Pakistani defence officials Friday began two days of
talks on demilitarising the Siachen glacier, their Himalayan
battleground for over two decades, amid cautious optimism about
likely progress in resolving the protracted dispute.
After brief formal handshakes, a nine-member Indian delegation led
by Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt began the talks with a Pakistani
team led by newly appointed Defence Secretary Kamran Rasool.
Rasool is the first civilian holding this job in Pakistan after a
long time.
"These parleys are the part of the ongoing process of composite
dialogue between the two countries for resolution of all the
outstanding issues," an official Pakistani statement said.
The dates for the talks were fixed when Pakistan's Prime Minister
Shaukat Aziz met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the
sidelines of the 14th Summit of the South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
Pakistan has recently shown willingness to concede an Indian demand
for authentication of ground position of troops on the glacier as a
prelude to withdrawal of troops, provided it is not seen as a legal
validation of Indian claims.
According to a report in Daily Times, Pakistan has offered India a
package deal to resolve the dispute over Siachen - the world's
highest battlefield that has claimed more soldiers due to freezing
cold and frostbites than in combat since their deployment on the icy
wastes of the glacier began in 1984.
India has repeatedly said "iron-clad" evidence of Pakistani military
positions in the 6,300-metre (20,800 feet) Siachen glacier is needed
before withdrawal of troops from the disputed region can take place.
However, Dawn newspaper said Friday morning that any such position
would amount to Islamabad's tacit acceptance of India's claims to
Siachen and the area as a whole.
India was understood to have worked out its approach to the talks at
the Cabinet Committee on Security that met in New Delhi Thursday
with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the chair.
Singh later told reporters in New Delhi that he was "hopeful" of a
positive outcome when asked about his expectations of the meeting.
"There are immense opportunities. We are working together to resolve
our differences," Singh said.
The dispute over Kashmir has sparked two of the three wars between
India and Pakistan since 1947. They fought regular artillery duels
until November 2003 when they agreed a ceasefire along the heavily
militarised Line of Control that divides Kashmir.
Military opinions differ on importance of Siachen glacier since
India first took the positions in 1984. Some analysts say Siachen
glacier by itself is of symbolic rather than strategic value.
Experts say India has around 5,000 troops on the glacier while
Pakistan has less than half the number on the frigid wasteland where
temperatures plummet to minus 50 degrees Celsius.
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