India, Pakistan fail to make headway on Sir Creek issue

Without making any conclusive headway, India and Pakistan concluded their talks on Sir Creek issue in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Without making any conclusive headway, India and Pakistan concluded their talks on Sir Creek issue in New Delhi on Tuesday.

With Pakistan more than keen on making progress on the Siachen issue first, it wouldn't be easy to have a way forward on Sir Creek, another contentious issue.

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While expressing their stated positions, both sides expressed a desire to find an amicable solution.

Sir Creek is a 96-kilometre strip of water that is disputed between India and Pakistan in the Rann of Kutch marshlands. The creek, which opens into the Arabian Sea, divides the Kutch region of Gujarat and the Sindh province of Pakistan.

The Indian delegation for the talks on Sir Creek was led by Surveyor General of India Swarna Subba Rao and the Pakistani side was led by Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Defence Rear Admiral Farrokh Ahmad.

“The two sides discussed the land boundary in the Sir Creek area and also delimitation of International Maritime Boundary between India and Pakistan. They reiterated their desire to find an amicable solution to the Sir Creek issue through sustained and result-oriented dialogue,” a joint statement issued at the end of the meeting said.

The two sides agreed to hold the next round of the talks on Sir Creek issue in Pakistan at mutually convenient dates.

The Pakistan delegation also met Shekhar Agarwal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Defence. Talks on Sir Creek issue were held a week after the meeting on another important issue of Siachen glacier which also failed to make any progress.

Pakistan and India held their last meeting on Sir Creek in Rawalpindi on May 20 and 21, 2011.