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| 24 February 2004 | Tuesday | 03 Muharram 1425 |
Pakistani, Indian commanders meet
SRINAGAR, Feb 23: Indian and Pakistani field army commanders held a meeting in disputed Kashmir for the first time in three years, an Indian army officer said on Monday, in a further sign of normalcy between the nuclear rivals.
The army officials met last week in Chorbat La sector on the heavily militarised Line of Control, which divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan. "It was just to clarify defence activities that were taking place on either side, and the meeting went off quite cordially," Indian Lt-Gen Hari Prasad told reporters. He gave no details of the meeting.
Local commander level interaction between the two armies ranged across Kashmir was suspended after militants attacked the Indian parliament in December 2001, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-backed rebels. Islamabad denied involvement.
But the neighbours, who began a tentative peace process last year, announced last week a timetable for talks on all disputes, including over Kashmir. Gen Prasad said rebel incursions into held Kashmir from Pakistan had fallen but the real test will come in the summer when snow melts on the high mountain passes that guerillas used to cross over.
"As far as infiltration is concerned, well, it is less, but it is less traditionally during this period of the year," he said. "It is only some time in April-May when the normal infiltration picks up, we will be really able to see whether they really mean stopping infiltration or not."-Reuters
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