After talks between External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, the two countries signed accords on pre-notifications of ballistic missile tests and setting up of a communication link between the Indian Coast Guards and Pakistan's Maritime Agency.
India also announced that it would soon release 30 more Pakistani prisoners. On Siachen, the two sides sought to work to fashion a common process but India made it clear that some kind of authentication of the present location of the forces and where they would be relocated had to be done before undertaking any disengagement.
Briefing reporters, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran firmly ruled out any change in borders. "We have said in the past that we are unable to consider anything that involves territorial changes, but we have said, short of that, whatever can be done to address the adverse human consequences. We should address those issues."
Major differences with India on Siachen: Pakistan
Observing that India had been hearing "welcome assurances" from Pakistan about addressing the problems of extremism and terrorism, he said, "We have to see the situation on the ground." He also said that the peace process "Â…can be derailed if any major terrorist incident takes place."
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