06 September 2004	Monday	20 Rajab 1425

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NEW DELHI, Sept 5: Indian Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday ruled out any move to reduce the military presence on the Siachen Glacier or in the occupied Kashmir , thus effectively pouring cold water on two key issues of the composite dialogue with Pakistan.

Troop withdrawal from the Siachen region is one of the key issues in the composite dialogue the foreign ministers of the two countries discussed on Sunday. Scaling down of Indian troops in the Kashmir Valley has been a long standing demand of Pakistan as part of the CBMs between the two sides.

Press Trust of India quoted Mr Mukherjee as saying that any scaling down of forces from the Siachen Glacier was not on the cards. "Our presence in Siachen Glacier is limited. And, secondly, the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is not yet conducive for thinning down of forces", he told PTI.

Mr Mukherjee also said in the interview that India now had a credible nuclear deterrence in place and that specialised forces were being raised to tackle nuclear threat in all its dimensions.

"Whatever is needed to safeguard the country and to ensure effective deterrence, in line with our nuclear doctrine of 'no first use', has been done," Mr. Mukherjee said.