ID :
183366
Fri, 05/20/2011 - 14:48
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/183366
The shortlink copeid
India, Pak resume talks on Sir Creek boundary dispute
From Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, May 20 (PTI) India and Pakistan on Friday
began two-day talks on the Sir Creek issue as part of a
bilateral dialogue process, with the two sides holding parleys
on the maritime boundary dispute after a gap of four years.
An eight-member delegation led by Surveyor General of
India S Subba Rao is participating in the talks while the
Pakistani side is headed by Additional Defence Secretary Rear
Admiral Shah Sohail Masood.
The talks which are being held at the Defence Ministry in
the garrison city of Rawalpindi are part of the bilateral
dialogue process that recently revived after a gap of over two
years in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The Indian delegation will also call on Defence Secretary
Syed Athar Ali.
Pakistan's Foreign Office said Islamabad attaches
importance to the resumed dialogue process and "looks forward
to a meaningful engagement with India on all issues".
During the last round of talks on the Sir Creek issue
four years ago, the two countries made significant progress in
resolving the dispute over the 96-km estuary in the Rann of
Kutch separating India's Gujarat state from Pakistan's Sindh
province.
At that time, Indian officials had said there was
convergence "up to a great degree" over demarcating the
maritime boundary based on maps finalised in a joint survey
conducted in early 2007.
Pakistan and India had exchanged maps of Sir Creek,
marked with their respective claims over the marshy strip and
their respective demarcations of the maritime boundary.
Unlike the military standoff in the Siachen glacier,
experts on both sides say a deal on the Sir Creek issue is
"doable".
The talks on the Sir Creek issue follows parleys earlier
this year between the Home and Interior Secretaries, the
Commerce Secretaries and the Water Secretaries, who discussed
the Tulbul navigation project-Wullar barrage issue.
Indian members of a joint Judicial Committee on Prisoners
visited Pakistan to discuss ways to speed up the release of
prisoners held in each other's jails.
Islamabad, May 20 (PTI) India and Pakistan on Friday
began two-day talks on the Sir Creek issue as part of a
bilateral dialogue process, with the two sides holding parleys
on the maritime boundary dispute after a gap of four years.
An eight-member delegation led by Surveyor General of
India S Subba Rao is participating in the talks while the
Pakistani side is headed by Additional Defence Secretary Rear
Admiral Shah Sohail Masood.
The talks which are being held at the Defence Ministry in
the garrison city of Rawalpindi are part of the bilateral
dialogue process that recently revived after a gap of over two
years in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The Indian delegation will also call on Defence Secretary
Syed Athar Ali.
Pakistan's Foreign Office said Islamabad attaches
importance to the resumed dialogue process and "looks forward
to a meaningful engagement with India on all issues".
During the last round of talks on the Sir Creek issue
four years ago, the two countries made significant progress in
resolving the dispute over the 96-km estuary in the Rann of
Kutch separating India's Gujarat state from Pakistan's Sindh
province.
At that time, Indian officials had said there was
convergence "up to a great degree" over demarcating the
maritime boundary based on maps finalised in a joint survey
conducted in early 2007.
Pakistan and India had exchanged maps of Sir Creek,
marked with their respective claims over the marshy strip and
their respective demarcations of the maritime boundary.
Unlike the military standoff in the Siachen glacier,
experts on both sides say a deal on the Sir Creek issue is
"doable".
The talks on the Sir Creek issue follows parleys earlier
this year between the Home and Interior Secretaries, the
Commerce Secretaries and the Water Secretaries, who discussed
the Tulbul navigation project-Wullar barrage issue.
Indian members of a joint Judicial Committee on Prisoners
visited Pakistan to discuss ways to speed up the release of
prisoners held in each other's jails.
