Pak, India finalize anti-terror panel, nuke safety pact

NEW DELHI—Resuming the suspended dialogue process on Wednesday Pakistan and India have agreed to complete Sir Creek survey by February 2007 and set up a joint anti-terror mechanism.
The two sides agreed that experts from the two countries will meet on December 22-23 to decide on the coordinates for joint survey of Sir Creek and adjoining areas “without prejudice to each others’ position, as well as to simultaneously conduct discussions on the maritime boundary”.
The joint survey is to be completed by February, 2007, said a joint statement issued at the end of two days Foreign Secretaries-level talks concluded here on Wednesday. Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan held talks with his Indian counterpart Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon where two sides agreeing on the need to fight terror jointly.
The two sides decided to set up a three-member anti-terror mechanism, which would be mandated to consider counter-terrorism measures, including through the regular and timely sharing of information, said the joint statement. The anti-terror mechanism will be headed by Additional Foreign Secretary Tariq Osman Haider and his Indian counterpart Additional Secretary to Indian External Affairs Ministry K. C. Singh.
However, Mr. Khan cautioned that it was very dangerous to destabilise other nations and resented finger pointing by India after Mumbai blasts. At the end of the two-day Foreign Secretary-level talks, the two sides however, had made a little headway.
Speaking to newsmen after the talks, Khan said that the three-member mechanism will examine any evidence or claims made by either country of terror attacks and linkages with groups. The two sides however, had made a little headway on Siachen issue. When asked, Riaz Mohammad gave no hint of any progress on the Siachen issue, instead made a mention of the complexities involved.
While, the joint statement mentioned that the two officials exchanged views and acknowledged that there was still a gap between positions of both sides on Siachen. “If there is a desire for indication of the present positions, that in any agreement, if at all reached, would be possible to be accommodated. That concern can be met. But if the intention is to seek endorsement of certain claims, then it becomes difficult,” he said.
Meanwhile, Menon told a separate press conference that he has discussed “cross border links to terrorist acts” in this country with Pakistan and hoped that the joint anti-terror mechanism will take some action in this regard. Menon was optimist that the joint anti-terror mechanism will take some action on, what he said “there was terrorism in Pakistan.it was upto both the countries to deal with it.”
The Indian Foreign Secretary said during the talks India handed over some information to Pakistan about some recent terrorist incidents in India but not about the Mumbai blasts because a charge sheet is yet to be filed in the July 11 attack. Riaz Mohammad Khan maintained that Pakistan resented the “finger pointing” by India “within 15 minutes” of the blasts.
“No where in Asia we have that much efficiency to find out things in such a short time,” he questioned.—Agencies