The Cabinet Committee on Security, CCS, has cleared the agenda for talks with Pakistan on Siachen ahead of Defence Secretary level talks in Islamabad on 11th and 12th of this month.

The issue was discussed yesterday by the CCS, which cleared the stand to be adopted by India in this regard.

Our correspondent reports,India and Pakistan have held several rounds of talks to resolve the Siachen issue.

The two countries were close to an agreement a few years back on demilitarising the region but it failed to fructify as Pakistan refused to authenticate the current military positions of the two sides despite India pressing for it.

During a visit to Siachen in 2005, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had said that the two countries should work to convert the highest battlefield into a mountain of peace.

Maintenance of troops in the glaciated mountainous region ranging in the altitude of above 15,000 ft is costing immensely to both countries in terms of monetary and human resources.