Date:23/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/23/stories/2006082318661700.htm

International - India & World

Pakistan: no word from India on Sir Creek

Nirupama Subramanian

Says meeting was scheduled in August; statement denied by India

Defence Secretaries agreed on meeting on joint survey of creek in May

Consultations underway between two countries to "improve and update" travel restrictions on diplomats

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Monday that it had not received any word yet from India on the expert level talks scheduled for August 23 and 24. Indian officials said no dates had been agreed upon.

A decision to hold a meeting of experts to discus modalities for an agreed joint survey of the creek was taken when the Defence Secretaries of the two countries met in May to discuss the Siachen and Sir Creek issues.

Pakistan says the meeting was scheduled for the two dates in August, but officials at the Indian High Commission here said that was not the case.

Gen. Musharraf's idea

About a statement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for more contacts across the Line of Control, the spokeswoman said Pakistan agreed in principle to it, as the whole idea of making the LoC irrelevant was Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's idea.

But Pakistan wanted to focus on making agreements that already exist workable.

"We know Kashmiris have been complaining that because of very complicated procedures for crossing, they are not able to avail of this facility and they want more contacts and easy travel conditions. So we would like to see that arrangements already in place are fully utilised and then of course we can have additional crossing points or whatever," she said.

Consultations were underway between the two countries to "improve and update" travel restrictions that the two Governments reciprocally impose on each other's diplomats for "more clarity."

The spokeswoman said new Indian restrictions on its diplomats stationed in New Delhi from crossing the municipal limits of Delhi [even to go to Noida and Gurgaon] had been "conveyed" to the Pakistan High Commission.

But neither the Ministry of External Affairs nor the Indian High Commission here had got in touch with the Pakistan Foreign Ministry about these changed rules.

Regime of restrictions

While both countries had a regime of travel restrictions for each other's diplomats, Pakistan did not prevent Indian diplomats here from visiting the capital's twin city of Rawalpindi or the nearby hill resort of Murree, she added.

Travel to other cities in both countries required a two-week notice, but Pakistani diplomats in India could not just give notice, they had to wait for permission.