Beijing: India and China were set to hold the 14th round of border talks at the level of Special Representatives here Monday to resolve the vexed boundary issue.
The talks will be held between the Special
Representatives, National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon
and his Chinese counterpart Dai Bingguo later this afternoon
to resolve the differences on demarcation of some of the areas
of the 4,000 km-long boundary between the two countries.
Talks on the boundary issue would focus on breaking
the deadlock over Aksai Chin in the Ladakh sector and
Arunachal Pradesh which China refers to as southern Tibet.
Menon arrived here yesterday take part in the talks.
The meeting between the top diplomats of the two
countries is also significant as it will be final top
officials level meeting before the crucial visit of Chinese
Premier Wen Jiabao to India next month.
India is hopeful that China will address its key
concerns including that of issuance of stapled visa for
residents of Jammu and Kashmir on the ground that the
territory was disputed.
The last round of border talks was held in New Delhi
in 2009 between the then NSA, M K Narayanan and Dai which
ended without much progress.
Though India-China began discussions to resolve the
border difference since 1980, the process got an impetus after
the two countries agreed to hold talks by designated Special
Representatives.
The two countries also signed agreements in 1993 and
1996 to maintain peace and stability in the border areas
besides inking a political guiding principle on demarcation of
the boundary in 2005.
Menon who shares good rapport with top Chinese leaders
and officials from the days of being the Ambassador here was
expected to bring about fresh perspectives to resolve the
boundary question which continues to prolong despite 13 rounds
so far. This is his second visit here this year.
He visited in July as Prime Minister`s Special Envoy
and held talks with both Wen and Yang Jiechi.
Menon`s meeting also closely comes on the recent
meeting between External Affairs Minister S M Krishna with his
Chinese counterpart Yang on the sidelines of the Russia,
India, China, (RIC) meeting at Wuhan in China this month
followed by strategic dialogue conducted by Foreign Secretary,
Nirupama Rao and Chinese vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun.
During all the three meetings, India highlighted its
concerns specially relating to Kashmir issue and objected to
China`s decision to issue stapled visas to Kashmiris.
The issue culminated into India calling off defence
exchanges with China after Beijing denied visa to top Indian
General B S Jaswal because he headed troops in the Kashmir
region.
PTI
