Pakistani and Indian commanders meet in Kashmir

22 Feb, 2004

Senior Indian and Pakistani army commanders met in Kashmir this week for the first time in three years to clear up a "misunderstanding", a report said on Saturday.
The Indian Express said the meeting took place on Friday afternoon in the Chorbat La sector, along the Line of Control (LoC).
The paper, quoting unnamed senior sources in the defence ministry, said the decision to hold a meeting was taken three weeks ago following a "misunderstanding" in Kashmir's Batalik region, scene of fierce fighting between the rival armies during a short conflict between May and July 1999.
The paper did not elaborate on the nature of the misunderstanding but said there was no firing between the two sides and the cease-fire the two militaries have been observing along the LoC since November 26 had not been threatened.
India's director general of military operations, Lieutenant General B. S. Takhar spoke to his Pakistani counterpart Major General Mohammad Yousaf over a hotline and the two decided to meet.
At the meeting in Batalik, local commanders agreed to hold more such meetings to guard against further problems, which could violate the cease-fire, the report said.

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