NEW DELHI (PTI): The just concluded Indo-Pak Siachin talks failed to yield an agreement on ending the eight year old confrontation in the dizzy snowy heights but there was “a certain progress in terms of technical details of disengagement” of troops an external affairs ministry spokesman indicated on Nov.6.
The spokesman’s brief comment underlined a conflicting appreciation by the two sides of the outcome of the Siachin talks held after a gap of three years at the defence secretary level.
Notwithstanding Pakistan’s none-too-positive appreciation of the talks the spokesman said “there was a certain progress made in terms of technical details of the disengagement.” The spokesman said the Siachin talks had floundered on this point in 1989. This was not the case this time he added.
India apparently is not prepared to accept the Pakistani demand for the relocation of the forces to the pre1972 position It is not known whether Pakistan had veered round to the Indian position that the troops be disengaged to 1984 or 1985 positions or whether some compromise was being attempted by the two sides.
The spokesman said the Pakistani side was still unable to see the full logic of Indias approach “But we are trying to overcome this are hopeful to move forward in the next round talks to be held at Islamabad.”
Meanwhile the fifth round of Indo-Pak talks on the Sir Creek issue concluded on Friday.
The discussions to be continued at Islamabad on a mutually convenient date focused on clarifying technical points regarding demarcation of a creek which kept shifting and was also linked to the sea.
This was implications for the Maritime boundary between the two countries.
Indian officials said the progress on the issue ought to be gradual because of the technicalities involved.
They also emphasized that building bridges of understanding and trust between India and Pakistan was a difficult task given the complex nature of the bilateral relationship.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 20, 1992
