Siachen trek not a first, clears Antony

Defence Minister AK Antony on Wednesday chose to play down what the army hyped as the first civilian trek to the Siachen Glacier...

Defence Minister AK Antony on Wednesday chose to play down what the army hyped as the first civilian trek to the Siachen Glacier, saying such expeditions have been happening regularly in the region. While the Siachen 8220;glacial trek8221; was touted by the army as a 8220;significant step8221;, Antony said as many as 15 expeditions involving Indian and foreign nationals have taken place in the region.

8220;The Siachen area has been open for quite some time,8221; the minister said on the sidelines of the Coast Guard Commanders Conference in the capital. Antony added that since July, three teams from the US, France and Australia have undertaken expeditions in the region.

Despite protests by Pakistan, India decided to go ahead with a civilian trek to the glacier involving close to 40 people from different backgrounds and cleared the expedition on Tuesday.

The minister brushed aside the Pakistani protest by saying that it was India8217;s right to carry out any activity in its own region. 8220;In the past years, more than 15 teams have gone to Siachen. There has been no opposition to this. So why this time?,8221; Antony asked.

Defence Ministry officials said that since 1996, at least four trekking activities and seven mountaineering expeditions involving adventurers from UK, Italy, France, US, Australia and India have been conducted in the region.

A civilian trek to the glacier organised by the Army Adventure Wing snowballed into a controversy after the Pakistan Government condemned the idea of 8216;adventure tourism8217; in the area that it claims in disputed. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the step would be uncongenial to peace talks between the countries. However, India has said that the trek is a 8216;routine expedition8217; in the region.

The Defence Minister also sought to downplay the rift between the three services on implementing recommendations of the AV Singh Committee Report by saying that each service has put in its case for more senior rank posts and the matter would be sorted out at the earliest.

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The minister admitted that an increase in high-level posts in the armed forces has been 8220;unduly delayed8221; but assured that the Government would work out an amicable solution soon. 8220;There is nothing wrong if the services are putting in their case. We will find a solution. We want to implement the second part of the AV Singh Commission report at the earliest,8221; Antony told mediapersons at the Coast Guard function on Wednesday.