Pakistan reports progress in glacier talks

INDIA: Pakistan's foreign minister said Saturday progress had been made in talks with India towards demilitarisation of Kashmir's disputed Siachen glacier, but political will was needed to clinch a final deal.

Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, said Pakistan's position on the Siachen glacier was clear. "We understand that there has been a lot of progress. It requires some meetings and given the political will, it should be resolved," he said.

Kasuri will hold informal talks with Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee over lunch on Monday, the first meeting between the foreign ministers of the rivals in more than a year.

"I had said that given the political will, it can be resolved in a few weeks or few days," he told reporters on his arrival in New Delhi, according to the Press Trust of India news agency.

Kasuri was referring to similar comments made earlier this month in an interview with India's NDTV news channel, which Indian newspapers reported had been dismissed by the Indian foreign ministry.

NEW DELHI, Sunday, AFP