'India, Pakistan close to agreement on Siachen withdrawal'
By Altaf Hamid Rao - Pakistan Times Kashmir Bureau Chief

MIRPUR: Pakistan and India are likely to reach an agreement on mutual withdrawal from the Siachen glacier, the world's highest battlefield, says a report reaching here late Monday from across the Line of Control.

The report quoted the UNI news agency as saying in New Delhi that since the talks between the Defence Secretaries of both countries on Siachen in August this year, both the sides have been using "secret" diplomatic channels to reach an accord on troops withdrawal from Siachen.

"This diplomacy has proved to be very successful inter of results and the recent announcement from the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to reduce troops in Kashmir is a concrete evidence of this fact," UNI said quoting official sources who told an English daily in the Indian capital city.

According to sources, the Defence Secretaries, along with military officials, would now meet again to sort out the details of troops withdrawal. "The Foreign Secretaries will also deliberate upon this matter in their proposed meeting most likely to be held on December 21 and 22 and they would decide about the dates for the Defence Secretaries' meeting," an official said.

The two Defence Secretaries, in their talks held on August 5 and 6, decided to continue with the talks on Siachen issue while predicting a positive outcome of the negotiations.

Pakistan and India had a dialogue on Siachen in the past as well and it went on over six rounds between 1986 and 1992. However, the issue could not be resolved and both the sides could not reach at what was said to be an almost 'certain agreement' back in 1990s, the report added.●