Siachen talks fruitful, but need more time: Antony

India and Pakistan need more time to resolve the "complicated" Siachen issue and have agreed to continue the dialogue process further, Defence minister A K Antony said on Friday.

"It is a very complicated issue. Both sides need more time to study this. Defence secretaries of both sides will meet again at a mutually convenient time," Antony told mediapersons on the sidelines of a function organised by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

He was asked about the progress made by the two sides during the two-day Defence Secretary-level talks which ended on May 30.

"Talks happened in a cordial atmosphere and both sides agreed that we need more time to discuss, so the discussion will continue. Only decision is that the next round of talks will happen in Islamabad," Antony said.

The Defence minister did not reply to the queries relating to the 'Non-Paper' presented by Pakistan on the Siachen issue during the talks. "It was a free and frank discussion in a cordial atmosphere," he replied.

Following a series of discussions, Pakistani side had handed over a 'non-paper' (an unofficial document) on Siachen which contained its stated position on demilitarisation and other related issues.

Defence Ministry officials have said that the documents produced under the Non-Paper are being studied by senior officials.            

Though no decision was reached on Siachen, both India and Pakistan acknowledged that the ceasefire was holding in the area since November 2003 and presented their positions and suggestions towards resolution of the issue.

The six-member Pakistani delegation was led by its Defence Secretary Lieutenant General (retd) Syed Athar Ali. The Indian side was represented by Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar and the delegation included senior officers from Indian Army and Surveyor General of India.