Siachen Glacier and Sir Creek

Society Military and Strategic Issues
1

Singh hopeful of Siachen talks’ positive outcome

By Jawed Naqvi
NEW DELHI, April 5: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Thursday he was hopeful of a positive outcome at the two-day talks with Pakistan on the Siachen Glacier and Sir Creek disputes starting in Islamabad on Friday.

The Indian leader’s comments came a day after he held a one-to-one discussion here with his Pakistani counterpart Shaukat Aziz, which included a review of the progress on the Saichen dispute.

Both sides expressed optimism following the Aziz-Singh meeting, including the chances of a breakthrough after the long-drawn discussions that have gone on between the two sides to bring back their troops from the world’s highest battlefield.

“I am hopeful,” Dr Singh said on the margins of a public function here. He was asked if he expected a positive outcome from the two-day defence secretary-level talks in Islamabad from Friday.

“There are immense opportunities. We are working together to resolve our differences,” Dr Singh said.

The Indian prime minister’s remarks followed a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) he chaired. The meeting cleared the brief for the Indian side for the talks that will also cover the Sir Creek issue.

**Pakistan has indicated a grudging willingness to meet India’s demand for an authentication of the troop positions prior to their departure from the current points. Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammed Khan had indicated willingness during a visit to New Delhi late last year to meet India’s request half way if it would desist from using the markings to stake India’s claim to the barren heights.
**
Meanwhile, Press Trust of India quoted Indian Army Chief Gen J.J.Singh as ruling out any move to demilitarise the Kashmir valley.

“No withdrawal or reduction of troops from Jammu and Kashmir is on the cards,” he told reporters in the southern city of Belgaum.

“Pointing out that constant vigil was necessary in Kashmir to check infiltration, which would be on the rise during summer, Singh clarified that the levels of deployment of forces in the state were decided on the basis of a constant review of the situation,” PTI said.

DAWN

Well i don understand if its a grudging request of authenticating indian troops position why we are willing to accept it. Is it in our interest or we are too eager in going one step further in freindship.

Allah bless Pakistan
:jhanda:

2

Re: Siachen Glacier and Sir Creek

Indias demand is to demark the border, the rest you can ignore as spin and noise.

3

Re: Siachen Glacier and Sir Creek

Troop pullback: Pak, India fail to make progress

8 April 2007

Pakistan and India failed to make any progress at talks on withdrawing troops from the Siachen Glacier, the world’s highest battlefield, a Pakistani government official said.

But the two sides agreed at the end of the two days of negotiations near the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, to continue talks in the future, the defence ministry official said Saturday on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue.

¢India showed no flexibility at the talks, especially today. They insisted that Pakistan should accept their current troop positions” before talking about a troop pullback, the official said.

The official provided no further details.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement that the talks were held in a ¢candid and constructive atmosphere” and the two sides agreed to continue the discussions to resolve the Siachen dispute in a peaceful manner.

Pakistan and India have a history of bitter relations, and a breakthrough in their talks on the glacier issue could give a boost to the broader peace process between the South Asian nuclear-armed rivals which they began in 2004 to resolve a range of disputes, including claims to Kashmir.

Including the latest negotiations, the two sides have held 11 rounds of talks since 1984, when Indian troops moved onto the otherwise uninhabited 78-kilometer (49-mile) -long glacier, fearing Islamabad wanted to claim it.

Pakistan also rushed its troops to Siachen, which lies at the northern end of the disputed territory of Kashmir. Since then, scores of soldiers have died, more from freezing conditions than from hostile fire.

A cease-fire has held at the glacier since 2003, when Pakistan said it would agree to negotiations to resolve disputes with India.

The Himalayan region of Kashmir was the cause of two of the three wars between Pakistan and India since they gained independence from Britain in 1947.

When the Line of Control that divides Kashmir was set by the two countries after a 1971 war, it only reached a point on the map called NJ 9842 and did not extend to Siachen because the glacier was considered uninhabitable.