Thaindian News

Islamabad, June 12 (IANS) The two-day talks between Pakistan and India to resolve the dispute over Siachen glacier, the world’s highest battlefield, ended Tuesday, a media report said.

Pakistan was led by Defence Secretary Nargis Sethi while India was led by her counterpart Shashikant Sharma.

The defence secretaries signed a joint statement at the end of the talks, reported Dawn.

The two countries have made progress on the Siachen row, Sharma told the media.

He said both countries have exchanged recommendations in order to resolve the dispute.

Islamabad and New Delhi have also agreed to hold the foreign minister level talks in Islamabad in July which would focus on the Siachen dispute and other outstanding issues.

The Siachen glacier dispute was highlighted after a massive avalanche struck a Pakistan Army camp in early April.

There have been calls to find out solution to the long-standing dispute where harsh weather has killed more soldiers than actual fighting.

Both countries have held a series of talks on the issue but have failed to reach any agreement. They last held a meeting on the issue in the Indian capital of New Delhi in mid-2011 without making any progress.

Pakistani Army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, who visited Siachen in the wake of the avalanche April 18, called for a negotiated end to the confrontation and said the glacier should be demilitarised.