The Hindu : International / India & World : ``India, China may reach consensus on boundary issue''

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Wednesday, Apr 06, 2005

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International - India & World

``India, China may reach consensus on boundary issue''

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE, APRIL 5. The Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister, Wu Dawei, has said the Special Representatives of India and China ``may reach consensus'' on the boundary issue at their meeting, which is ``expected to be held'' during his visit to India by the Chinese Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao, from April 9 to 12.

Mr. Wen left Beijing today on a South Asia tour and he will visit India on the last lap.

The Special Representatives of India and China have so far held four meetings on the basis of their mandate to ``explore the framework of a boundary settlement'' by zeroing in on the issues at stake from ``a political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship.'' The Chinese Special Representative, Dai Bingguo, is now expected to meet India's new Special Representative, M. K. Narayanan.

The official media in Beijing, which today reported the possibility of a ``new consensus,'' quoted a senior Chinese diplomat as saying that the border question ``does not hinder the overall development of Sino-Indian friendship and cooperation.'' Other sources have indicated to this correspondent that the date for the prospective meeting of the Special Representatives has been finalised and that an issue in focus now was that of evolving the ``guiding principles'' as also the ``political parameters'' for a settlement of the boundary dispute.

With Mr. Wen's imminent visit to India attracting wide attention in East Asia, Lee Kuan Yew, elder statesman and Singapore's Minister Mentor, said: ``China and India are to launch FTA (Free Trade Agreement) negotiations that may be completed in a few years. I understand Premier Wen Jiabao will be visiting India soon, followed by President Hu Jintao shortly afterwards.''

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