India, Pak break ice on Siachen

Inching forward on troops pull-out from Siachen, India and Pakistan today decided to reach a "common understanding" on the issue by January and agreed to finalise modalities for setting up meeting points for divided families across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.

Resolving to carry forward the peace process and maintain its momentum, the two countries affirmed that terrorism would not be allowed to impede it.

They maintained that possible options for a peaceful, negotiated settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir issue should be explored in a "sincere, purposeful and forward looking manner," a joint statement issued after two-day of talks between External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and his Pak counterpart Khurshid M Kasuri here said.

The two countries revived the joint commission after a gap of 16 years and hoped that it would contribute significantly in enhancing economic ties. Expressing satisfaction over smooth operation of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service, the statement said experts from the two sides would meet for launching truck service between the two points and a bus link between Poonch and Rawalakot in PoK expeditiously.

It was agreed that the expert-level meeting would be held by the year end to finalise modalities for the meeting points of the divided families across the LoC. Singh, who called on Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, said he had conveyed greetings of President APJ Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"We both agreed that Indo-Pak relations had made significant progress since the current process began on January 6, 2004."

At a joint press conference with Singh, the Pakistan minister said "concrete ideas" on Siachen had been exchanged and the two sides would continue discussions for reaching a common understanding.

Aingh said India had presented draft proposals to the Pakistan side on Visa liberalisation, consular access and on enabling increasing number of pilgrims from both countries to religious shrines on both sides.

Before leaving for Karachi, Singh also called on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and exchanged views with him on all aspects of bilateral relationship.

Setting at rest apprehensions about the fate of the $7.4 billion Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline in the wake of New Delhi supporting the IAEA resolution against Iran's controversial nuclear programme, the two sides affirmed their commitment to it, saying it would contribute significantly to the prosperity and development of the two countries.

On Siachen, the statement said the two sides exchanged ideas on the issue and agreed to continue their discussions so as to arrive at a common understanding before commencement of the next round of the composite dialogue in January.

About media speculation of a possible breakthrough on Siachen, Kasuri said, "it stands to reason that if we have already reached an agreement, we would have reflected that in the joint statement. It would be counter productive if I were to go into the details. Suffice to say that there was a reasonable degree of understanding of each other's point of view."

Without prejudice to each other's position, they agreed to undertake a joint survey of the Sir Creek in the Marshi land of Rann of Kutch off the Gujarat coast and consider options for the delimitation of the maritime boundary.

This will commence before the year end and its report will be considered in the next round of composite dialogue. Kasuri said this would enable the two countries to work for the resolution of the Sir Creek issue in a concrete manner.