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| Delhi, Islamabad to expedite Siachen resolution | | Army Chief calls for careful handling by Govt | |
BL KAK
NEW DELHI, JAN 15
Even as the Indian Army leadership supports the drive launched by the Congress-led coalition government at the Centre to build bridges of amity and friendship with Pakistan, a signal has once again poured out from the Army headquarters, cautioning the ruling political class against any hasty decision on the troops' future in the Siachen glacier area.
Top ranking defence officers and planners do not deny that the most inhospitable Siachen glacier area in Ladakh region continues to be a "huge" burden, militarily and finacially. But they are seemingly against preference for political solution to the Siachen dispute with Pakistan. They, in fact, want the powers that be in New Delhi to act in a manner as to ensure stability and security of the Ladakh region in future.
And as New Delhi and Islamabad agreed to expedite resolution of the Siachen dispute, Indian Army Chief, Gen. JJ Singh, on Monday hoped that the Army's views on demilitarization of the 18,000-foot-high Siachen battlefield would be considered by the government of India before arriving at any decison. Gen. JJ Singh told mediapersons in the capital: "Army has submitted its views to the government on the issue. I am sure the government will keep them in mind".
Chief of Army Staff declined to be drawn into discussion when a couple of journalists urged him to divulge details of the Army's views submitted to the government. Neither did Gen. JJ Singh demonstrate his willingness to divulge the Army's actual standpoint on the talk of demilitarization of the Siachen glacier.
His comments came two days after India and Pakistan decided to speed up talks on Siachen, the world's highest battlefield. Significantly, even as Pakistan Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, during his Indian counterpart, Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Pakistan on Saturday (Jan. 13), talked about the posibility of "early" solution to the Siachen dispute, New Delhi has made it clear that it is not possible to fix a timeframe to resolve the issue.
On the Army's crackdown on banned outfit, United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) in Assam in the wake of the spurt in attacks, Gen. Singh said that the operation had been stepped up. "I am sure that we will be able to succeed", he said on the sidelines of the 59th Army Day Parade.
Addressing the parade, Army Chief described 2006 as "a historic year" for the Army as it emerged successful in anti-terror, humanitarian and peace-time operations and achieved progress in modernisation efforts. The highlight of the year was the release of its sub-conventional warfare doctrine, which, he said, banks on the Army's vast experience and gives due consideration to human rights while striving to produce results.
Gen. JJ Singh's message of tremendous importance: "The iron fist and velvet glove will go hand in hand. While there will be no mercy for hardcore terrorists, the misguided youths will be given a chance to abdicate violence".
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