NEW DELHI, May 19: India’s Cabinet Committee on Security on Friday night approved the framework of Indo-Pakistan talks next week on Siachen and Sir Creek issues. It also endorsed the proposed talks Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee would hold during his visit to China beginning on May 24.

“The CCS approved the briefs for these meetings,” Mr Mukherjee said after a three-hour-long meeting of the Cabinet Committee presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Analysts say there has been a perceptible hardening of positions on the Siachen issue with India indicating it was not yet inspired to withdraw troops from the world’s highest battlefield.

Mr Mukherjee, however, declined to give any details saying, “I cannot give you any of the salient points of the briefings.”

On the two-day Defence Secretary-level talks on Siachen beginning May 23 and Sir Creek beginning May 25, Mr Mukherjee said: “They were part of the Composite Dialogue Process with Pakistan.