India, Pakistan begin Siachen talks

May 30, 2011 |

IANS

New Delhi

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India and Pakistan on Monday began a two-day dialogue here aimed at resolving the dispute over the Siachen Glacier, the world's highest battlefield, where both countries have maintained a ceasefire since November 2003.

This is the first defence dialogue between the two sides in the last four years.Indian Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar and his Pakistani counterpart, Lt. Gen. (retd.) Syed Athar Ali, were closeted at the former's office here in the morning, a defence ministry official said.

The talks are part of the two nations' larger effort to resolve outstanding issues between them. The two countries had decided to resume their dialogue, which was put on hold after the November 2008 Mumbai terror attack, following meetings between their prime ministers in Thimpu in April 2010.

The foreign secretaries and home secretaries of the two countries have aleady met and now it is the turn of the defence secretaries.

The Indian delegation for the talks, the 12th in the series, includes Special Secretary R.K. Mathur, Director-General Military Operations Lt. Gen. A.M. Verma and the Surveyor General, S. Subba Rao.

The other members of the Pakistani delegation are Maj. Gen. Ashfaq Nadeem Ahmed, Maj. Gen. Munwar Ahmed Solehri and Maj.Gen. (retired) Mir Haider Ali Khan.

The defence secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan on Siachen began in 1985 following discussions between then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and then Pakistani president Gen. Zia-ul-Haq in Oman and New Delhi.

The talks became a part of the composite dialogue with Pakistan on all issues, including Kashmir, from the eighth round in August 2004 in New Delhi.

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