India and Pakistan have begun two days of talks to resolve the maritime boundary dispute in the Sir Creek region. The talks on the Sir Creek issue are being held in Delhi, a week after the inconclusive talks on Siachen, described as the world’s highest and coldest battlefield. Sir Creek is a 96-km strip disputed region between India and Pakistan in the Rann of Kutch marshlands. The creek, which opens up into the Arabian Sea, divides the Kutch region of the Indian state of Gujarat with the Sindh province of Pakistan. [caption id=“attachment_347290” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“India’s Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers patrol near the international border with Pakistan at Sir Creek. Reuters”]  [/caption] The long-standing dispute lies in the actual demarcation from the mouth to the top of Sir Creek, and from the top of Sir Creek eastward to a point on the line designated on the Western end. From this point onwards, the boundary is unambiguously fixed. The Indo-Pak talks on Sir Creek were initially scheduled for mid-May this year but were postponed, as according to diplomatic circles Pakistan wanted Siachen to be discussed first and see how far New Delhi was serious in terms of resolving the issue. Pakistan and India held their last meeting on Sir Creek in Rawalpindi on 20 and 21 May last year, which was led by Surveyor General of India S Subba Rao and Pakistan Defence Ministry’s Additional Secretary Rear Admiral Shah Sohail Masood. Pakistan has considerably hardened its stand on the Sir Creek issue in recent months though the two sides had said they had made progress after a joint survey of the marshlands. After talks on Siachen remained inconclusive, most diplomats believe that there are less chances of the Sir creek issue to be resolved. several Pakistani leaders, including army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, have called for the demilitarisation of Siachen after 139 people were buried when an avalanche hit a high-altitude Pakistan Army camp in Siachen sector last month. However, Kayani contended that India had hardened its position by seeking the demarcation of the Line of Control in the region. Defence Minister AK Antony has said there is no change in India’s stand on Siachen. With inputs from PTI
The talks on the Sir Creek issue are being held a week after the inconclusive talks on Siachen.
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