New Delhi: After a four-month lull, India and Pakistan on Tuesday resumed composite dialogue as their Foreign Secretaries met to deliberate on a range of bilateral issues, particularly terrorism.
At the two-day talks between Shiv Shankar Menon and his Pakistani counterpart Riaz Mohammad Khan, the two sides are expected to give shape to the joint anti-terror mechanism and discuss confidence building measures (CBMs) in military and civilian fields.
On the eve of the parleys, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri said a resolution to the vexed Siachen issue was a "matter of days" given the political will. However, India did not appear to share Pakistan's view.
“Our position has been stated earlier," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said responding to Kasuri’s claim.
However, no formal talks have begun on the Siachen issue.
Mukherjee said the two countries will have "several rounds of talks on Siachen" and "it is not necessary for me on every occasion to respond to observations made by some foreign dignitary."
New Delhi has made it clear that the vexed issue can be settled promptly if Islamabad agrees to its terms, particularly proper authentication of present troop positions of the two countries at the world's highest battlefield.
There are no indications yet regarding Pakistan's acceptance of the terms, External Affairs Ministry sources said.
India wants "iron-clad" authentication of the troop positions as it is wary of a repeat of Kargil when Pakistani forces occupied mountain heights in 1999.
Kasuri said on Monday said, "Given the political will, we have narrowed down our differences enough for us to have a decision within a matter of days, not even weeks."
The two countries had agreed to demilitarise Siachen but have failed to reach a common position on how to do it.
They will also review progress on other outstanding issues including Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek.
During the meeting, terrorism will be the dominant theme of discussions. India will give evidence of Pakistani linkages to terrorist activities in this country, including the Mumbai blasts, and make it clear that Islamabad's commitment to fight the scourge will be tested on the ground.
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