Tuesday, October 4 2005 10:01 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Amid indications of a deal on the Siachen issue, External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh will meet Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf here today (Oct 04, 2005).

Ahead of the meeting, India and Pakistan sounded upbeat on making progress on the issue being dealt on 'priority basis' after the issue was discussed between Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri against the backdrop of both sides asserting their readiness to redeploy the forces.

Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran told reporters after the meeting that the issue, as well as that of Sir Creek, were being dealt by the two countries on 'priority basis' after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf gave directions in this regard in April.

"Since then, there has been exchange of ideas. We can certainly look at ways to promote progress on these (Siachen and Sir Creek)" he said.

Saran said the two countries were looking for 'fashioning common process' on the issue and 'we are making progress'.

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan, at a separate media briefing, also indicated to the possibility of a breakthrough in the talks on Siachen.

"We have exchanged views and ideas. That should give some possibility to move forward," Khan said but did not elaborate.

Noting that both sides had agreed to redeployment of troops at Siachen, Saran, however, maintained there has to be some kind of authentication of the present positions held by the two sides and where they would be relocated.

Officials said that in order to overcome difficulties on the issue, the two sides were looking at the possibility to indicate their present positions through satellite mapping.

After meeting Musharraf, Singh would also meet Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

After that, he would hold one more round of talks with Kasuri to formally kick-start the revival of the India-Pak Joint Commission which has remained in dormant for the past 16 years.

In his media briefing Saran clarified the Commission was being revived to expand the scope of the dialogue process. "The Joint Commission is to take up the issues which are not part of the Composite Dialogue process and is a useful forum to take forward our relations," the Indian Foreign Secretary said.

He said the ministerial level forum might overlap certain areas allowing the two sides to discuss matters related to health, agriculture and other fields.