India and Pakistan exchanged non-papers during talks on the Sir Creek issue that ended yesterday in a bid to find an amicable settlement to the decades-old boundary dispute. The non-papers-diplomatic parlance for negotiating texts informally circulated by countries to facilitate discussions without making any commitment to the contents – were exchanged as the two countries held their first round of talks on the Sir Creek issue in four years. A joint statement issued at the end of the two-day parleys said, the talks, held in a “friendly and cordial atmosphere”, focused on the India-Pakistan land boundary in the Sir Creek area and the delimitation of the international maritime boundary between the two countries. Though the statement made no mention to a joint survey of the 96-km estuary conducted in early 2007, it is believed the two sides exchanged maps outlining their respective positions. Pakistani sources claimed Additional Defence Secretary Rear Admiral Shah Sohail Masood, who led his country's side at the talks, told the Indian side that the joint survey should not be considered the basis for an agreement. The Indian side at the talks was led by Surveyor General of India S Subba Rao. The Indian delegation also called on Defence Secretary Lt Gen Syed Athar Ali. The talks on the Sir Creek issue, held at the Defence Ministry in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, were part of a bilateral dialogue process that was recently revived after a gap of over two years.