Sir Creek’s 2nd survey modalities worked out
By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

RAWALPINDI—Pakistani and Indian officials held technical-level talks here on Friday to work out modalities for conducting a second joint survey of the Sir Creek area.
Chief Naval Hydrographer Rear Admiral B.R.Rao held talks with his counterpart, Surveyor General of Pakistan Maj-Gen Jamil-ur-Rahman Afridi at Rawalpindi to determine the modalities for undertaking the survey which is expected to be completed by March next year. This would be the second survey to be undertaken by the two parties in the history of the 22 year-long dispute over the marshy strip off the Gulf of Kutch whose determination would enable both countries to finalise their maritime economic zone and intimate the United Nations.
The two sides agreed to hold the survey during the talks held in May this year as part of the third round of Composite Dialogue process in which Sir Creek was one of the subjects being discussed. The first joint survey on Sir Creek had been conducted by hydrographers of the two countries in January 2005. The two countries have held several rounds of talks at both technical and governmental levels since 1969 on the Sir Creek issue but of no avail. Both sides were keen to retain it as its determination could enable them to claim several hundred kilometres of martime coast line.
Its determination was essential as both countries have to notify the martime economic zone to he UN Convention on Law of the Sea to which both Pakistan and India are signatories. The convention requires that all maritime boundary disputes be resolved by 2009 failing which UN may declare them as international waters. Talks would conclude tomorrow after which the two sides were expected to issue a joint statement. Pakistan and India held talks on Friday aimed at resolving a dispute over an estuary on their border that has hampered exploration for oil and gas and led to the detention of hundreds of their fishermen.
The talks on the Sir Creek estuary, that flows into the Arabian Sea between Pakistans Sindh province and Indias Gujarat, are part of a tentative peace process the nuclear-armed neighbours launched in early 2004. The two countries agreed in May to carry out a joint survey of the 100-km long estuary. Their military officials discussed modalities for conducting the survey in talks on Friday in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi. The talks were cordial and friendly and the meeting expressed satisfaction over the progress achieved, the Pakistani Ministry of Defence said in a statement. It did not elaborate but said: “Both sides underlined the need for the amicable solution of all outstanding issues as it would contribute towards the economic and social prosperity of the region”. The talks continue on Saturday.
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who has called for compromise over the core dispute with India over the Himalayan region of Kashmir, said this month the Sir Creek dispute “can be resolved expeditiously with courage”. Analysts say demarcation should not be difficult to agree but decades of mistrust has hampered a settlement.