Siachen Conflict

[SSAAD]

Siachen likely to be resolved during Singh’s visit: Mirwaiz



By Anwar Iqbal


WASHINGTON, Oct 5: Pakistan and India may resolve the Siachen dispute during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s expected visit to Islamabad but there could be little progress on the Kashmir issue, says Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

Mirwaiz, who head the All Parties Hurriyet Conference, said at a briefing in Washington that he got this ‘impression’ from what President Pervez Musharraf told him about his talks with the Indian prime minister in Havana, Cuba, last month.

Mirwaiz met President Musharraf during the latter’s recent visit to the United States.

“My impression is that they are ready to resolve the Siachen dispute,” he said. “President Musharraf was also very optimistic about finding a solution to the Kashmir issue but events on the ground are not very hopeful.”

President Musharraf invited Mr Singh to visit Islamabad when he met him in Havana. The Indian prime minister has accepted the invitation but no date has yet been fixed for the visit.

A senior South Asian diplomat, when asked to comment on Mirwaz’s statement, said he too believed that India and Pakistan were ready to resolve the Siachen and Sir Creek disputes.

“They came that close in the past too. Then the Indians backed out. So I would keep my fingers crossed,” he said.

The first understanding to resolve the Siachen dispute was reached in 1989 at the end of the defence secretary-level talks. The two countries also came close to a resolution in November 1992.

The two agreements were reviewed and endorsed at a summit meeting between President Musharraf and Prime Minister Singh in New Delhi in April last year when they also agreed to settle the Sir Creek dispute. But so far no follow up action has been taken.

Diplomatic sources in Washington say that a deal on Siachen could be based on one of the three propositions: an accord to de-escalate hostilities, an understanding to disengage military forces, or an agreement to demilitarise the area.

Indian and Pakistani troops have confronted each other on the Siachen Glacier since 13 April 1984. The conflict has resulted in hundreds of casualties, caused more by adverse climatic conditions and harsh terrain than the occasional military skirmish. This is by far the longest-running armed conflict between two regular armies in the 20th century.

Although the military stalemate favours Pakistan because of India’s comparatively higher human and financial costs, Islamabad has demonstrated flexibility on the Siachen issue. It is willing to consider measures ranging from redeployment to demilitarisation.

The Indians, who started the confrontation by sending troops to this frozen land, however, are less accommodating, apparently because of domestic political considerations.

“While we are happy that India and Pakistan will be able to resolve the Siachen dispute, it does not open the door to settling the Kashmir issue,” said Mirwaiz.

“This is a much more serious issue and requires a greater commitment from both India and Pakistan, which I do not see,” said the Kashmiri leader.

President Musharraf, however, believes that the two sides can ‘make headway’ on Kashmir as well when he meets Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mirwaiz said.

“He feels that Mr Singh’s visit will be very crucial. They have already started working on the visit but I believe they need to do more homework to make the Kashmiris believe that they are moving towards resolving the Kashmir dispute.”

http://www.dawn.com/2006/10/06/top3.htm

[Alam]

The following pictures were taken by the crew of a documentary production about the disastrous environmental affects of the Siachen conflict. (Not that I am an environmentalist). But I found the pictures worthy of being shared.

[Alam]

More pictures:

[Alam]

And more pictures:

[Alam]

And now, the last Pakistani picture with the trailer of the documentary. I must say, it is quite interesting. (You'll love the SSG part :D )

SIACHEN - Trailer (http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=175801295338230661)

[Alam]

I guess the Indians didn't allow much access. Only three pictures:

[zia ul haq]

Asalamo-a-laikum.

Excellent pictures and the trailer is very good as well. It will be good to see the final product.

From what I have gathered myself both sides are rather too cagey when it comes to journalists and Siachen but I think the Indians are more so because they were the agressors and their claim is weaker.

The Pakistanis are more acoomodating but it takes forever for a journalist to get anything out of them.

[Jungen-Loenen]

Siachen pics, from the book "War above the clouds"

[Jungen-Loenen]

More pics, including SSG

[Alam]

Excellent contribution. Thanks Jungen.

[ndad]

Good collection mate. Thanks for sharing
ndad

[Alam]

Did anybody notice that in the video, in what I assume is a former Indian officer, he mentions that one could see Russia from Siachen!:rolleyes:

[Jungen-Loenen]

Did anybody notice that in the video, in what I assume is a former Indian officer, he mentions that one could see Russia from Siachen!:rolleyes:
Yes he is right!Actually when Siachen issue arose, USSR was not divided then, and tajikistan was part of Russia. Only a 20-40 km strip of Wakhan of Afghanistan, seperated Pakistan from Russia then. Hence u could see USSR from such high peaks!

[Jungen-Loenen]

K-2 peak as seen from google Earth, right peak is BroadPeak

[H Khan]

po 05/11/07

Khalid Saleem
The Siachen issue between Pakistan and India, involving what has been called as the world’s highest battlefield, has been on the peace agenda since the 1980s. Over the past two decades several rounds of negotiations have been held between the two sides. On more than one occasion there have been optimistic speculations but a solution has continued to elude the two countries. What more can one say about an issue that should not have arisen at all.

In Monday last, the Spokesperson of the Foreign Office ventured the opinion that a solution to the Siachen issue would constitute an important Confidence Building Measure between the two neighbours. She disclosed that Pakistan and India were in the process of discussing a ‘package’ that envisaged establishment of a ‘zone of peace’ at Siachen, adding that a number of proposals for settlement of the dispute were being considered by the two sides but the political will to settle the issue was still lacking. So far so good! But where do we go from here?

Meanwhile, a serious environmental problem has cropped up and experts have warned that unless the two armies vacate the glacier area, there is serious danger of melting of the glacier that could lead to widespread destruction in the area. To quote the Spokesperson, “A number of reports and studies suggest an impending environmental catastrophe as a result of melting of the glacier. Resolution of the issue would thus be an important step towards saving the glacier”. Can one hope that this new realization would shake the two sides from the stupor that has overtaken them for so long?

The Siachen issue had its beginning around 1982-83, when India, taking advantage of the delivery of Soviet high altitude helicopters, landed its troops and set up military posts on the Saltoro range. Prior to that, it was recognized internationally that the area of the Siachen glacier was under the de facto administrative control of the Pakistan authorities. International geological expeditions often used to visit the glacier after obtaining permission from the Pakistani authorities. There was no objection to this arrangement from India or anyone else.

The Ceasefire Line - later to be converted into the Line of Control - in the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir was demarcated on the ground in the north up to point NJ 9842, beyond which it was considered unsafe to do so due to inhospitable conditions. It was understood, nevertheless, that the area north of point NJ 9842 fell under the administrative jurisdiction of Pakistan. In the 1960s, Pakistan and China signed a border agreement that covered the glacial area up to the Karakoram Pass in the east. India had registered a formal reservation about this Border Agreement but laid no claim to administrative jurisdiction over the area.

In the Simla Agreement of 1972, the two sides had undertaken to respect the Line of Control and not to take any action that would alter its status. This was understood to cover the demarcated line up to point NJ 9842 as well as de facto control over the area north of this point. India’s unilateral action around 1982-83 in setting up military posts in the Siachen glacier area represented a serious violation of the relevant clause of the Simla Agreement.

Prior to India’s unilateral action the whole area was totally free of military activity and the Pakistan authorities ensured that this demilitarized status was maintained and respected. After having failed to make India withdraw its forces to the pre-1972 positions in terms of the Simla Agreement through diplomatic means, Pakistan was obliged to move troops into the area to prevent India from making further encroachments.

Since that time, the forces of India and Pakistan have faced each other eyeball to eyeball in what has been graphically described as the world’s highest battlefield. It is perhaps the only battlefield in which more casualties have been the result of inhospitable climatic conditions than due to actual military operations. The confrontation in the Siachen area has been hurting both sides in terms of casualties as well as mounting unproductive expenditure. Statistics show that India is paying a higher price for its unilateral violation of the Simla Agreement.

Pakistan and India have tried for nearly two decades to reach an amicable settlement of the Siachen issue. Pakistan has adopted the stand that, since the unilateral Indian move was in blatant violation of the Simla Agreement, any settlement should ensure that status quo ante is restored in conformity with the relevant clause of that Agreement. India, however, insists unreasonably that, what it calls, the ground reality must be recognized. Not only that, India would like that its military positions in the Siachen area should be marked on a map and formally authenticated. What India wants, thus, is to eat its cake and have it too. Pakistan has offered several reasonable packages including one that would leave the whole of the Siachen expanse free of military activity from either side.
Regrettably, India’s position has been inconsistent all along. In 1989, the then Indian Prime Minister had expressed willingness to sign an agreement based on unconditional withdrawal of the troops of both sides to conform to pre-Simla positions. Regrettably, the Indian government changed its mind before the agreement was ready for signature. Since that time, Indian negotiators have been blowing hot and cold in the same breath and the matter has been hanging fire. If anything, the attitude of the Indian establishment appears to be hardening at every step. This state of affairs hardly gives cause for optimism.
The fate of the peace talks between Pakistan and India hangs on the settlement of such issues as Siachen and Sir Creek. Unless the two sides agree to reach fair and equitable settlements of these comparatively less complicated issues, how can they move on to the settlement of more complicated issues like the Jammu and Kashmir dispute?

It is important that both sides exhibit political will and show sufficient flexibility in their rigid stands for the sake of mutual benefit of the peoples of the two countries. Without this there is danger that the two sides will be struck for a long time to come in the mire of missed opportunities.

Now, with the danger of an impending environmental catastrophe on the horizon, time is of the essence.