Manmohan Singh, Web Jiabao direct SRs to accelerate border talks

Cebu, Jan 14 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao today directed their Special Representatives (SRs) to accelerate the pace of their talks on the nagging border question between the two countries.

The crucial meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Summit here this morning came just days ahead of the ninth round of talks between National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Chinese Vice-Premier Dai Bingguo, the Special Representatives of the two countries, in Delhi next week.

The meeting between the two Prime Ministers has provided a fresh political impetus to the talks between the Special Representatives.

"They wanted the Special Representatives to accelerate the process of talks," a senior Indian official told UNI after the meeting.

He said the talks between the two leaders were held in a "very warm and cordial atmosphere." Apart from bilateral matters, Dr Singh and Mr Wen also discussed regional and international issues, he said.

The Chinese Premier extended an invitation to Dr Singh to visit China later this year, which he accepted, the official added.

India has said that the border question must be solved on the basis of the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles signed between the two countries in April, 2005.

During Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Delhi last November, the two sides had agreed to step up the efforts to find a solution to the boundary dispute and not to allow it to hinder growth of the bilateral relationship in other areas.

Both sides see an early settlement of the boundary question as a "strategic objective." Dr Singh arrived in Cebu last night for the fifth India-ASEAN Summit being held here today and the 2nd East Asia Summit tomorrow.

Mr Narayanan told journalists accompanying the Prime Minister yesterday that the two sides had made progress on the boundary issue. "We have made a lot of progress," he said.

In response to a query on the hurdles on the boundary question, Mr Narayanan said, "The problem is that China says there are issues left over by history. We say that history has no borders." "It is a problem involving the people and territories of the two countries," he said.

India has, in the past, made it clear to China that it should not expect any territorial concessions in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.India has also made some proposals for opening up the border and institutional cooperation across it.

UNI