In what could be a major breakthrough, Indian and Pakistani diplomats were locked in informal negotiations till late in the night trying to hammer out an understanding on a set of broad parameters for taking the discussion on Siachen and Sir Creek forward in the third round of the composite dialogue. This came after India suggested working out a package solution by holding discussions on each aspect of the two disputes, particularly Siachen. This will include verification of existing positions, redeployment of troops and disengagement. It’s learnt that the exchanges were going on even as External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh attended a dinner hosted by his Pakistan counterpart Khurshid M Kasuri. Singh is to meet President Musharraf tomorrow. Rather than have both sides stating their known positions in each round of the dialogue process, sources said, India favoured holding more focused discussions on the two subjects by taking up each aspect which could then form part of a package solution. This is an important break from the past and takes forward the commitment made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Musharraf when the latter visited Delhi in April. The two leaders had directed their officials to examine ways to expeditiously resolve the both the issues. That the private talks between the two ministers in the picturesque surroundings of the Governor’s bungalow at Nathiagali, 85 km from Islamabad in the North West Frontier Province, were positive on these two fronts was indicative from the remarks of Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammed Khan. ‘‘Both leaders have exchanged views and ideas (on Siachen and Sir Creek). That should give some possibility to move forward and open up new opportunities in the third round (of the composite dialogue),’’ Khan said. Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran indicated that the two sides were trying to ‘‘fashion a common approach’’ on Siachen and Sir Creek. It’s learnt that the way forward will lie in discussing each thread of the dispute, particularly Siachen, where Pakistan feels India has occupied its current positions through ‘‘an act of aggression’’. So, the two leaders are looking to finalise the principles on which the negotiations can take place. These will address the following: • To work towards a mutually agreed verification mechanism of current troop positions. India is open to a discussion on the methods for doing this, including the use of satellite imagery • To agree on a zone of disengagement where there won’t be any activity after troop pullout, including adventure activities and mountaineering expeditions which actually led to the beginning of this conflict in the 1980s • Redeployment of troops, the mechanism to be followed for this and the details of where troops of both sides will be positioned after the withdrawal • To clarify the LoC beyond NJ 9842, the terminal point of the ceasefire line according to the 1949 Karachi Agreement which further states ‘‘thence north to the glaciers’’. Both sides have discussed several proposals for resolving this issue between 1986 and 1992. While a broad understanding was reached in 1992, no agreement could be finalized. The two countries then agreed to make it part of the composite dialogue in September 1998. The difference stems from the interpretation of the Karachi Agreement with Pakistan maintaining that LoC goes east of the Karakoram range while India says it goes along the Saltoro ridge. On Sir Creek, India is willing to adjust its position on the line demarcating the creek as long as there is no change in the maritime boundary.
