New Delhi/Islamabad:
Military representatives from India and Pakistan will meet for talks on the Siachen glacier dispute on June 11-12 in Islamabad. Ever since an avalanche buried 139 Pakistani soldiers, many in Pakistan have questioned the strategic value of deploying troops on the glacier, given the massive human and environmental costs.
"Pakistan and India will hold talks on the Siachen issue on June 11-12 at Islamabad," Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Khan said in a brief statement this evening.
India has said that during the talks it will insist on a proper authentication of Pakistani troop positions before any disengagement is undertaken. Pakistan's Army Chief had called for demilitarisation of the glacier, accusing India of hardening its position by insisting on demarcation of the Line of Control instead of authenticating troops on the ground.
The last round of talks on Siachen was held in Delhi by the Defence Secretaries of the two countries almost a year ago.
Today's announcement by Mr Khan came shortly after diplomatic sources told PTI that Pakistan had asked India to reschedule talks on the Sir Creek border dispute which were to be held in New Delhi next week. Mr Khan had recently announced that officials of the two countries would meet in New Delhi during May 14-16 to discuss the Sir Creek issue. Those talks have not yet been rescheduled, but are likely to take place later in June.