CCS Clears Brief for DefSec-level Talks in Islamabad

New Delhi, Apr 5 (UNI) Amidst reports of Pakistan having offered to India a package deal on Siachen, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) today cleared the brief for the Indian delegation for the Defence Secretary-level talks starting in Islamabad from tomorrow.

Though officials remained tightlipped about the CCS agenda as is customary, Defence sources confirmed that the almost hour-and-half-long meeting here earlier in the day finalised the agenda for the two-day talks with the Siachen issue figuring prominently.

"The Siachen issue and the agenda for the two-day talks figured prominently in the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh," said the sources later.

The meeting was attended, among others, by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister AK Antony, Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Finance Minister P Chidambaram.

According to a Pak media report, Islamabad was ready to meet New Delhi's demand to authenticate troops position on the 72 km-long glacier dubbed as the world's highest battle field with the two neighbours locked in a seemingly never-ending contest since 1984 for wresting control of the Himalayan heights.

Defence Minister Antony had recently stated that if Pakistan agreed to the Indian position on authenticating present ground positions on the glacier, "a settlement can be arrived at".

Defence Secretary Shekar Dutt, who will lead the Indian delegation, was also present at the CCS meeting following which the Defence Minister held an hour- long unscheduled meeting with External Affairs Minister Mukherjee on the Siachen issue, it was learnt.

The Indian delegation, headed by Defence Secretary Dutt, later left for Islamabad. Besides Mr Dutt, the delegation included Special Secretary in the Ministry AK Jain, Director General of Military Operations Lt Gen Mohan Pandey, Joint Secretary Bimal Julka, and Surveyor General Maj Gen M Gopal Rao.

A media report in Pakistan had said that Islamabad was ready to authenticate the present troop positions on the Siachen Glacier if New Delhi agreed not to use it to make a legal claim over the icy region in future.

According to Defence sources here, a number of proposals were already under consideration but any breakthrough could be achieved only after both sides agreed to proper authentication and the modus operandi for undertaking it.

The two countries are in agreement in principle to demilitarise Siachen -- but India has been insisting on proper authentication as it was wary of redeploying its forces in view of the Kargil experience.

UNI