New Delhi, Oct 05: Asserting that India wanted friendly relationship with all its neighbours, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee tonight said the process of dialogue with Beijing on the vexed border issue had already begun. "The process of talks have already begun", he told reporters before leaving on a seven-day tour of Indonesia and Thailand.

Vajpayee said that he would have bilateral meetings with his Chinese counterpart Wen Ziapao and other leaders from South East Asia on the sidelines of India-Asean Summit in Bali in Indonesia.

He said that India wanted peaceful and friendly relations with all its neighbours.

Asked what his expectation was from the summit, the Prime Minister said the main stress would be to achieve a free trade area for enhancing trade with the region. "That is the main thing”.

Vajpayee said India's economic ties with the 10-member Asean had gone up as also the trade with China.
Bureau Report