2 May 2005	Monday	22 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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ISLAMABAD, May 1: Pakistan and India will begin the second round of talks on the Siachen and Sir Creek issues here on May 25-26 and 27-28, respectively, sources told Dawn on Sunday. An announcement in this regard is expected in a couple of days.

The joint statement issued at the end of President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s visit to India last month said: “Existing institutional mechanisms should convene discussions immediately with a view to finding mutually acceptable solutions to both issues expeditiously.”

The talks on the Siachen issue will be led by the defence secretaries of the two countries and directors-general, military operations, and foreign ministry officials would be in the delegations.

The talks on Sir Creek will be led by the additional defence secretary and the surveyor-general from Pakistan. The Indian delegation will be led by its surveyor-general. The last round of talks on Siachen and Sir Creek, held in Delhi in August 2004, remained inconclusive.