Indo-Pak Talks on Siachen Begin; Stalemate Likely To Prevail

Indian and Pakistan officials have begun talks on the military stand-off on Siachen region at the Defence Ministry office in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

Indian Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma will resume talks with Pakistan Defence Secretary Nargis Sethi, who is a close confidant of Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. The last round of talks between the two nations was held in May 2011.

According to reports, Pakistan would ask India to remove its troops from the Siachen glacier in the two-day talks to be held from June 11-12. If India refuses to do so, Pakistan will most likely not sign the settlement on the disputed region of Sir Creek which lies between Gujarat and Sind in Pakistan.

Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani's had called for a solution to the issue following the death of 139 people who were buried in an avalanche at the high-altitude Pakistan army camp on April 7. Despite Pakistan minister's call, reports suggest that it is highly unlikely that any amicable solution would be achieved in the meeting.

A positive solution on the Siachen issue could be a first step towards resolving the Kashmir issue but stalemate is expected to continue during the 13th round of talks.

Infact, much ahead of the Siachen talks with Pakistan, Indian Defence Minister AK Antony had cautioned against expecting any breakthrough at the meeting of the Defence Secretaries.

"Do not expect any dramatic announcement or decision on an issue which is very important for us, especially in the context of national security," he told reporters in New Delhi last week, according to IBN Live.

India has a "clear-cut position" on the Siachen issue which the Defence Secretary will explain to the Pakistani side during the talks, Antony said.

Siachen is located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas, just east of the Line of Control between India and Pakistan. It is highest battleground on earth where India and Paksitan have fought occasionally since 1984.

Both the nations station their troops at the region despite worst weather conditions. Several soldiers have died because of cold temperatures and frostbite.

India and Pakistan were close to bringing a solution in 2008 on the Siachen as well as the Sir Creek region, but then there was a stalemate after India called off the meeting following Pakistan's inaction against the 26/11 accused who continued to roam free in Pakistan.