India and Pakistan's ongoing talks on the Siachen issue has not produced any results so far, official sources in Ministry of External Affairs said.

A high-level source added, "Both sides are still working out the procedure of authentication" of the stated position in Saltoro Ridges, which stretches along 120 km on which runs the Actual Ground Position Line.

Earlier in 2006, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] had stated that the Siachen glacier region issue could be resolved soon.

But Tuesday's talks have not displayed such optimism.

Foreign secretary level talks were held earlier in 2006. Currently, defence secretary level talks are on in New Delhi.

Both sides are discussing the de-militarisation of the Siachen sector, which also includes exchanges of maps of actual military positions.

For long, Pakistan was found to be reluctant to formally authenticate the AGPL on maps as part of an overall Siachen agreement.

According to experts, the Siachen sector is a strategic area which is "virtually called the tri-junction of Pakistan, China and India on the northern borders".

A source in the ministry said that talks have not broken down yet, but, he added, "We are still looking if we can address the issue. Both sides are looking for agreement on the principle of authentication." 

India made it clear to Pakistan that India wants comprehensive measures of surveillance and monitoring in place in the area if demilitarisation takes place.

It seems that Indian diplomatic side is heeding the views of the defence establishment who have expressed many concerns over the surveillance of the area once they vacate it. They think that monitoring is more feasible from the Pakistan side of territory.

A source said, "When disengagement takes place, we will have to have well laid out monitoring procedures." He also added, "The issue of disengagement itself is also being debated."

In regards to vacating military positions on the Siachen glacier, India finds asymmetry in the area.

If India withdraws from the area on its side it needs access to the area for monitoring purposes and that mechanism is not possible if access from other side is not made possible.

Official sources said that India's defence establishment (Indian Army) wants the equal chance of surveillance and monitoring of the Siachen once the military vacates its current position.

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