The Defence Secretary-level Siachen round of talks between India and Pakistan concluded along expected lines on Tuesday with both sides agreeing to continue with efforts to seek an amicable resolution of the issue.
A joint statement issued at the end of the talks said the two sides agreed to continue dialogue on Siachen in keeping with the desire of the leaders of both countries for early resolution of outstanding issues. Both sides acknowledged that the ceasefire was holding since 2003.
The talks were led for India by Shashikant Sharma and Pakistan by Nargis Sethi. On Monday, the Indian delegation also met Defence Minister Naveed Qamar. Both countries speak about demilitarising the world's highest battlefield but differ over the modalities. While Pakistan wants demilitarisation first, India is insistent that the Actual Ground Position Line be authenticated before withdrawal of troops from the glacier.
