Solutions of the nonlinear Schrodinger equation for initial conditions in the form of two separated sech-shaped in-phase pulsed,; are analyzed. It is found that; this initial condition, with appropriate amplitude, may give rise to, not; only stationary solitons, but also to symmetrically separating solitons, if the initial distance of separation is large enough. The condition for the generation of a separating soliton pair is derived from the Zakharov-Shabat eigenvalue problem using a variational approach.