Home > News > Indo-Pak Peace Talks > Report
Talks on Siachen, Sir Creek by May end
K J M Varma in Islamabad |
May 02, 2005 19:57 IST
India and Pakistan will hold talks on Siachen and Sir Creek in Islamabad late this month.
Talks on Siachen will be held on May 25-26 followed by talks on Sir Creek on May 27-28, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesman Jalil Abbas Jilani said on Monday.
He said the joint statement issued during President Pervez Musharraf's [Images] visit to India in April called for expeditious resolution of the two issues and accordingly the meetings were fixed after consultations between officials of the two countries.
Asked about External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh's recent statement that talks on Siachen were deadlocked over Pakistan's refusal to authenticate the positions held by Indian troops, Jilani said, "That is the Indian stand."
Pakistan's stand was that the two countries should implement an agreement reached between defence secretaries of the two sides in 1989.
On the proposed military exercises by India near Jalandhar, Jilani said, "We feel that these exercises are routine. As long as the exercises are confined to the parameters of the agreement, it is not a matter of concern for Pakistan. The Jalandhar exercises were within those parameters. Accordingly, it is not a cause of concern".
On the Indian Army's Cold Start doctrine, which envisages lightning attack on key installations in enemy territory and capturing them, he said, "Pakistan has made several proposals to India in maintaining balance on nuclear and conventional weapons and both countries have held talks to consider the proposals."