ISLAMABAD: India and Pakistan will meet here on May 17 and 18 for talks on the Sir Creek issue, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday. The meeting follows the completion of a joint survey by the two sides of the creek in the Rann of Kutch. The conflicting claims on the creek by both sides have thus far prevented the determination of the maritime boundary in that part of the Arabian Sea.

India and Pakistan exchanged maps of the joint survey in March. Officials believe that now that the two sides are working with "one map" after their joint survey, the talks may be more productive.

The Foreign Ministry also announced that talks between the Water secretaries of the two countries on the disputed Tulbul navigation project - Pakistan calls it the Wullar barrage project - are to be held on June 26 and 27 in New Delhi. These talks are part of the fourth round of the composite dialogue process of secretary-level meetings.

The fourth round began in March with the Foreign Secretaries meeting on Kashmir and peace and security. Earlier this month, the Defence secretaries met to discuss the Siachen issue but were unable to make much progress.

Officials said the Home Secretaries are to meet in the first week of July, but the dates have not been finalised yet.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said she would not comment on the recent New Delhi roundtable on Kashmir or on the recommendations of the working groups but she described Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statements as "positive". "What is important is that Pakistan and India continue to talk and work towards finding a settlement to the Kashmir dispute. I may add here that we have seen Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statements and there are many positive elements in those statements. There are a number of steps being taken in the search for a solution on Jammu and Kashmir that can be acceptable to Pakistan, India, and most importantly to the people of Kashmir," she said.

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