India, Pakistan talks on Siachen begin at Rawalpindi

New Delhi, June 11 (ANI): Talks between India and Pakistan on the military standoff on Siachen began on Monday at Rawalpindi.

The Defence Secretaries of the two neighbouring nations began talks on the military standoff on Siachen against the backdrop of calls from Islamabad to demilitarise the Himalayan glacier in the wake of an avalanche that killed 139 people at a Pakistan Army camp.

Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma is leading the Indian delegation, while the Pakistani side is headed by his counterpart Nargis Sethi, a close confidant of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

The two-day talks on the issue are part of the resumed dialogue process between India and Pakistan.

Ahead of the talks , Defence Minister A K Antony had cautioned against expecting any breakthrough at the meeting of the Defence Secretaries. The talks, which are part of the India Pakistan dialogue process, are expected to improve relations between the two countries.

"Do not expect any dramatic announcement or decision on an issue which is very important for us, especially in the context of national security...... You cannot expect a dramatic announcement from one discussion," he said. (ANI)