29 September 2004	Wednesday	13 Shaban 1425

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NEW DELHI, Sept 28: Military experts of India and Pakistan will meet soon to discuss the proposed withdrawal of their troops from the Siachen glacier, Indian Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Tuesday.

Indian news agencies quoted Mr Mukherjee as telling journalists in Kolkota that the military-level talks were suggested at a meeting of the defence secretaries that was held in New Delhi in August.

"Pakistan's Defence secretary had a discussion in Delhi with our defence secretary in August. It was decided after that meeting that military-level talks between the two countries will be held," Press Trust of India quoted Mr Mukherjee as saying.

Mr Mukherjee was asked whether the talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Siachen would lessen the arms race between the two countries. He parried the question, saying this was not the first time that talks with Pakistan were being held on the Siachen issue.

He said eight rounds of talks were held earlier at the defence secretary level and military-level talks were held twice. Mr Mukherjee said cross-border infiltration on the Line of Control was down.

We are getting reports that there has been some attempt at infiltration. We have been able to prevent both infiltration and exfiltration," he said, apparently suggesting that Indian border troops had successfully prevented people from crossing into Azad Kashmir from the Indian-held side too.