Indian, Pakistani defence officials begin two-day talks on Siachen

Islamabad, Apr 6 (UNI) Indian and Pakistani defence officials today began two-day talks on demilitarising the Siachen glacier.

Indian Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt SM and his Pakistani counterpart Kamran Rasool are leading their respective delegations at the talks, which began in the Garrison town of Rawalpindi at 11.40 am.m (local time).

The two sides are expected to focus on a set of new initiatives, as indicated by Mr Dutt on his arrival in Islamabad yesterday.

However, none of the officials belonging to either side disclosed the nature of these initiatives.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri repeatedly said that Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan during the official talks in New Delhi in November last year had handed over a ''detailed plan'', which addressed concerns of both the parties, to his Indian counterpart.

It is learnt that a lot of work has already been done on the Siachen issue, which Mr Kasuri said given the political will could be resolved within days.

The last defence secretary-level meeting on the issue between the two countries was held in May 2006 in New Delhi but no headway was made.

India has been demanding authentication of positions currently being held by the troops of the two countries on Siachen Glacier.

However, Pakistan has refused to do so on the grounds that it would be tantamount to validating the ''illegal'' Indian occupation of glacier way back in 1984 and the withdrawal of troops to the level of a ceasefire agreement reached after the 1971 war.

UNI