India, Pakistan agree to move forward on Siachen, Wullar barrage and Sir Creek

Work on the India-Pakistan Joint Commission to resume, technical groups to seek further avenues of cooperation.

NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan agreed that discussions will continue on Siachen Glacier, Wullar Barrage/ Tulbul Navigation Project and Sir Creek to find a mutually acceptable solution to these issues.

A joint statement issued after talks between Foreign Ministers of the two countries- S.M. Krishna and Ms Hina Rabbani Khar- on Wednesday said that both ministers had reiterated their commitment to seek early and amicable solutions to all these issues. They also reaffirmed their commitment to the Indus Water Treaty.

The two ministers also agreed that people of the two countries are at the heart of the relationship and issues of people-to-people contacts and humanitarian issues should be accorded priority and treated with sensitivity.

They also noted with satisfaction the progress made towards finalisation of a revised visa agreement which would help liberalise the visa regime and facilitate people-to-people, business-to-business and sports contacts.

(Read: Khar-Krishna talks: Agreement on simplified travel procedure across LoC)

Both sides emphasised promotion of cooperation in various fields, including, facilitating visits to religious shrines, media exchanges, holding of sports tournaments and cessation of hostile propaganda against each other.

The Ministers decided to resume work on the India- Pakistan Joint Commission and agreed that Technical Level Working Groups should hold their meetings to identify avenues of further cooperation in these fields.

(Read: Khar-Krishna talks: Pakistan, India plan fresh CBMs on Kashmir)

It was also decided that both Ministers will meet again in Islamabad in the first half of 2012 to review progress in the dialogue process.