Commanders to meet on Siachen

Published August 14, 2004

NEW DELHI, Aug 13: Senior military officials of India and Pakistan will meet soon to work out the details of a proposed de-escalation in the Siachen Glacier, Indian Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Friday.

Mr Mukherjee, who was visiting Indian troops stationed in the Glacier, the world's highest battlefield, told the Press Trust of India: "Military personnel of the two countries will meet for discussing the de-militarisation exercise and report back to their respective governments."

Pakistani officials said the proposed meeting, even possibly a series of meetings, would take place in Islamabad. Mr Mukherjee's remarks came in reply to a question on how progress could be achieved in India-Pakistan talks on de-militarisation of Siachen.

India and Pakistan agreed on Aug 6, to continue discussions to work out modalities for disengagement and redeployment of troops on the Siachen Glacier and resolve the issue in a peaceful manner.

During his two-day trip, Mr Mukherjee visited forward locations on the Glacier as well as Kargil and Drass on the Line of Control and Chushul and Pangong-Tso Lake "illegally ceded by Pakistan to China", PTI said. "We are occupying sensitive and strategic positions on the Glacier and Pakistan knows they cannot dislodge us from there," Mr Mukherjee said.

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