Pakistan, India hold maritime border talks

Islamabad, Dec 22: Pakistan and India are to hold talks today aimed at resolving a dispute over an estuary on their border that has hampered exploration for oil and gas and led to the detention of hundreds of their fishermen.

The talks on the Sir Creek estuary, that flows into the Arabian sea between the Pakistani province of Sindh and the Gujarat, are part of a tentative peace process the nuclear-armed neighbours launched in early 2004.

The two countries agreed in May to carry out a joint survey of the 100-km long estuary. Their military officials will discuss modalities for conducting the survey in talks today and tomorrow in Rawalpindi.

''The delegations of the two countries will deliberate and work out a mechanism for undertaking a joint survey in Sir Creek,'' the Pakistani Ministry of Defence said in a release.

Analysts say demarcation of the estuary should not be difficult to agree but decades of mistrust has hampered a settlement.

India says the boundary should lie in the middle of the estuary, basing its claim on accepted practice as well as pillars built down the middle of the channel during British colonial rule.

Pakistan says the border should lie on the southeastern bank of the creek, basing its claim on a line shown on a map drawn by the British governor of Bombay in the early 20th century.

Authorities from the two countries also regularly arrest each others' fishermen in the estuary for illegal intrusion.

Fishermen complain they often don't know whose waters they are in.

Pakistani authorities will release 70 Indian fishermen today, most of whom were were detained in Sir Creek. India is due to release 31 Pakistani fishermen at the same time, a Pakistani maritime official said yesterday.

A Pakistani analyst said warming relations between the leaders of the two countries could bode well for a solution.

''Basically, what is needed is the political will on both sides to resolve it,'' said Talat Masood, a former Pakistani army general and a defence analyst.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since their independence from Britain in 1947 and nearly went to war a fourth time in 2002.

Relations have improved since they launched a peace process almost three years ago.

REUTERS