India and Pakistan are likely to soon sign an agreement on cooperation between their maritime security forces, including the creation of a hotline and steps to release fishermen who stray into each other's waters, top naval officials said Tuesday.

"We are concerned about the picking up of our fishermen, and we need a clear understanding to avoid the victimisation of fishermen," said Admiral Arun Prakash, the Indian Navy chief.

"The establishment of a hotline would be of great help," he told a news conference, referring to negotiations between India's Coast Guard and Pakistan's Maritime Security Agency to create direct communication link between the two forces.

Officials of the two forces are scheduled to meet here Dec 3-4 to discuss a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the hotline and other related issues as part of the composite dialogue process between India and Pakistan.

Said Vice Admiral Sureesh Mehta, the deputy chief of naval staff and a former chief of the Coast Guard who had participated in discussions on the agreement: "The talks have progressed quite far and the agreement is in the interest of both countries.

"The negotiations are at the final stage and the MoU is likely to be signed soon."

Other naval officials who did not want to be named said the agreement was likely to be signed at the meeting to be held this week.

"Besides the setting up of the hotline, the Coast Guard and Pakistan's Maritime Security Agency will discuss the creation of a buffer zone where the fishermen of both countries will be allowed to operate," said an official.

He explained it had proposed that the "buffer zone" should start 10 nautical miles from the coastlines of India and Pakistan, and fishermen operating in this area should not be apprehended.

The maritime security forces of the two countries arrest hundreds of Indian and Pakistani fishermen every year on charges of straying into each other's territorial waters.

These fishermen languish for long periods in jails in both countries, which have exchanged hundreds of fishermen this year following a thaw in relations.

--Indo-Asian News Service