Narayanan, Dai to discuss border dispute on Tuesday

Beijing, Jan 13 (UNI) National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo, the Special Representatives of India and China for discussing the vexed border dispute between the two countries, would hold talks here on Tuesday to take stock of the developments on the issue and their next course of action plan to expedite the dispute's resolution, top official sources said tonight.

Sources said SRs, who have already completed eleven rounds of talks, are satisfied with the discussions held so far.

Mr Narayanan, who is accompanying the Prime Minister during the latter's three day high profile visit, will be holding the meeting with Dai on Tuesday, when Dr Manmohan Singh's delegation is slated to fly back to New Delhi.

Asked about the reports that China was insisting on not leaving some populated areas from the purview of the talks on the issue, top official sources said it was not so, but perceptions on some areas in some sectors vary. All aspects are being looked into.

In an important development during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to New Delhi in April, 2005, the Special Represenatives of the two countries had finalised the documents on guiding principles to resolve the vexed boundary dispute in a mutually acceptable manner.

The bilateral agreements on maintaining the peace and tranquility on borders was being followed and more confidence building measures to promote mutual trust and confidence may be taken, sources said, hinting at more interactions between the militaries of the two countries. Recently, a joint military exercise was undertaken in China and more such exercises might be undertaken, in future.

The India-China boundary issue is dealt by a three tier dialogue mechanism. Apart from the SRs, the two sides have the joint working groups as well as an expert group to discuss details of the border issue.

UNI NB RP RAI2144