India, Pakistan engage to discuss Siachen

After a gap of three years, defence secretaries of India and Pakistan on Monday met to discuss the long-pending Siachen issue.

Defence secretary Pradeep Kumar led the Indian delegation for the two-day talks with his Pakistani counterpart Lt General (Retd) Syed Ather Ali.

India and Pakistan decided to resume the talks last year after prime ministers of both the countries met in Thimpu and decided to take forward the dialogue process. While the Pakistani delegation has two civilian officials and four military officers, the Indian side includes Special Secretary R K Mathur, Director General of Military Operations Lt General A M Verma and Surveyor General S Subha Rao, Defence officials said.

After the talks, the Pakistani defence secretary will call on defence minister A K Antony. Siachen, the world's highest militarised zone, has been a long pending issue between India and Pakistan over differences on the location of the 110-km long actual ground position line which passes through the Soltoro ridge and Siachen glacier.

"The two countries have decided to de-militarise the Siachen glacier, but the matter is stuck as there are apprehensions on both sides," officials said. India wants Pakistan to authenticate the AGPL, both on the maps and the ground, as it occupies most of the dominating posts on the Saltoro ridge.

Pakistan in turn has been insisting on maintaining the pre-1972 troop positions as agreed in the Simla Agreement. Retaliating to Pakistan army's advances in the glacier in 1984, India launched Operation Meghdoot and deployed its troops in most of the dominating features in the area.

The defence secretary-level talks between the two countries on Siachen dates back to 1985. The decision to hold joint talks was taken by the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and Pakistan President general Zia-ul-Haq. The Pakistani delegation arrived in India on Saturday and on Sunday visited Agra to see the Taj Mahal.