ISLAMABAD, May 18: Pakistan and India on Tuesday failed to resolve their differences over the Sir Creek issue with both sides sticking to their stated positions. Official sources confirmed that the talks ended without any progress despite the optimism expressed by both sides prior to the start of the two-day meeting. The Indian side insisted that the Sir Creek boundary lay in the middle of the channel, while Pakistan said that it was on the east bank.

The two sides explained the basis for their claims about the boundary on the 96-km creek, but failed to convince each other.

This was the first formal meeting on the issue after the two countries conducted a joint survey and agreed on a common map of marshlands to draw the maritime boundary.

The joint survey was carried out by hydrographers in January to verify the outermost points of the coastline based on the principle of equidistance. The survey was completed around mid-March.

A press release issued by the Foreign Office said that "Pakistan and India, at the conclusion of two-day talks on Sir Creek under the fourth round of composite dialogue held in Rawalpindi from May 17-18, have agreed to continue discussions for amicable settlement of the issue.”