India-Pakistan Talks on Siachen Begin
'Pakistan Times' Foreign Desk

NEW DELHI (India): Taking the peace process forward, India and Pakistan on Tuesday commenced two-day talks on Siachen as part of ongoing composite dialogue here at South Block.

Pakistani side is being led by Defence Secretary Lt Gen (Retd) Tariq Waseem Ghazi, while Indian delegation is headed by his counterpart Shekhar Dutt.

Pakistan High Commissioner to India, Aziz Ahmad Khan, Deputy High Commissioner Afrasiab and Defence Advisor Brig Javed Sultan are also attending parleys alongwith the 13-member delegation.

Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Shiv Shankar Menon, Joint Secretary (Pak Desk), External Affairs Ministry and other officials are also part of Indian delegation at the talks.

Earlier on his arrival here yesterday, leader of Pak delegation and Defence Secretary Lt Gen (Retd) Tariq W Ghazi had said that dialogue process must move forward and all aspects of Siachen problem would be discussed at the two-day talks.

“We have come with a very positive mindset. My delegation is here with open mind and we will be looking at all the aspects of this problem”, added Tariq Ghazi.

He had further said, “we think this process must move forward”, adding all concerned issues will be discussed during the parleys.

Indian Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt stated on the occasion that the talks would be held in a friendly atmosphere and “We will try to ensure that Confidence Building process continues.”

In-depth

Top officials from nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan launched two days of talks on troop withdrawal from a Himalayan glacier in disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir, the defence ministry said.

"The talks on Siachen glacier started this morning. They are likely to go on through the day," an Indian defence ministry official said.

Pakistan's defence secretary Tariq Waseem Ghazi, who led his country's delegation, called on Indian Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee at the end of the first round Tuesday.

"We are continuing with the discussions ... we are looking at how we can advance further (with our objective)," Mukherjee told the English news channel Times Now after his meeting with Ghazi.

Experts estimate that 7,000 Indian troops and 4,000 Pakistani soldiers are deployed on the glacier, known as the world's highest battlefield, where icy temperatures, altitude and accidents claim more lives than combat.●