Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee told Parliament that India would not pullout of Siachen as it did not get ironclad guarantees from Pakistan and that the threat perception has not changed to warrant a troop reduction.
India and Pakistan have had 9 meetings on Siachen and are unable to resolve the fundamental disagreements on where the boundary was and how India can be sure that Pakistan will not occupy the glacier once it withdraws from there. Mukherjee said that India wants to "live in peace with" Pakistan and that the composite dialogue process would continue.
Meanwhile, India and Pakistan are to meet in New Delhi May 23-24 on Siachen followed by Sir Creek on May 24-25 as part of the composite dialogue process. The Home Secretary level dialogue on terrorism and drug trafficking will be held in Islamabad May 30-31 and the Culture Secretaries will meet in New Delhi June 1-2.
In a positive move, India released 6 Pakistani detainees, including 4 children, at the Wagah border. The children had either strayed into India playing or taken a wrong train and ended up at the wrong place. Two others served jail sentences in India and were required to be extradited by a Punjab and Haryana High Court.
