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| PM to discuss Siachen issue with Army | | Ladakh region is again in news | |
B L KAK
NEW DELHI, DEC 6
With the growing opposition from the Indian Army to any move seeking demilitarisation of the Siachen glacier in the trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh, the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, has decided to hold detailed discussions with the Army top brass on the Siachen dispute with Pakistan. The National Security Advisor, MK Narayanan, will also join the Prime Minister during the upcoming discussions.
The Prime Minister seems to have also found it necessary to seek relevant inputs and guidance from the top echelons of the Army, in view of his proposed visit to Pakistan. And if all goes well, the Prime Minister can be expected to ink the deal on Siachen in Islamabad in March next.
At a time when Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, has once again made a pointed reference to the Siachen issue "about to be settled" amicably by Pakistan and India, the Indian Army's top brass is still suspicious of the Pakistan Army violating any agreement that is signed by taking control of the passes to the west of the 18,000-foot-high glacier. The Army's suspicion has not disappeared even after the Prime Minister had reportedly advised Army Generals that two sides should learn to trust each other.
Authoritative sources told EARLY TIMES that the strategic importance of the Siachen sector had been understood fully by the Prime Minister. These sources explained that " it is in this context that he Prime Minister does not want to negotiate any deal on Siachen that is not acceptable to the Army".
According to sources, Manmohan Singh has asked top echelons of the Army, particularly the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. JJ Singh, to examine if India's security is not jeopardised by creating a demilitarised zone, with proper verification procedures in place. He has also asked them to consider what exercise will have to be undertaken to chase out the Pakistanis if they do not honour their commitment to keep the region demilitarised.
In view of Islamabad continuing to have "live" contact with New Delhi, behind-the-scene activity on certain crucial matters, including the future of the Siachen glacier, is neither surprising nor uncalled for. Before Manmohan Singh's expected discussions in Pakistan on Siachen and other issues, Pranab Mukherjee, Minister of External Affairs, will formally interact with his Pakistani counterpart, Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, and President, Gen. Parvez Musharraf, in Islamabad next month.
Manmohan Singh's first visit to Pakistan as Prime Minister has been planned and cancelled several times since he wants some concrete achievement during his trip. The latest plan of the Prime Minister was to go to Islamabad in December but sources said that it now stands postponed to March 2007 to give enough time to the Army to prepare a blueprint for a bilateral Siachen pullout. The two governments may also be ready to reach a settlement on the demarcation of Sir Creek by that time.
Manmohan Singh's visit was also delayed because of Pranab Mukherjee's decision to go to Islamabad only on January 13 to invite Gen. Pervez Musharraf for the SAARC summit in Delhi in April and hold talks with Kasuri to review the third round of the composite dialogue process.
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