WASHINGTON, March 3 (UPI) -- Insider notes from United Press International for March 3

As India and Pakistan edge towards a rapprochement over Kashmir, the Bombay-based independent think tank Strategic Foresight Group has issued a sobering assessment of what a continuing standoff would cost the two countries over the next five years. "The Cost of Conflict Between India and Pakistan" predicts that the continuing dispute over the Siachen glacier alone could deplete India's treasury of $1.6 billion, while Islamabad's costs are estimated at $398 million -- while casualties there are estimated at 1,500 soldiers. Similarly, if the Kashmir conflict is not resolved, the report's authors estimate that 6,000 civilians, 10,000 terrorists, and 2,500 security personnel will die. The report also delves in the economic costs of the tensions between the two nations, noting that "Kashmir lost 27 million tourists between 1989 and 2002" a revenue loss of $3.6 billion.