India, China to discuss boundary issue; new thrust in ties expected

NEW DELHI: Sino-India boundary issue as well as initiatives to give a new thrust to bilateral ties after the once-in-a-decade Chinese leadership change are expected to figure in talks between National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon and China's chief negotiator Dai Bingguo here tomorrow.

Dai is heading a delegation to the two-day BRICS (Brazil -Russia-India-China-South Africa) top security officials' meeting from today.

Menon and Dai would be meeting just over a month after their crucial informal boundary talks in China during which they reached "common understanding" on the negotiations over framework for a boundary settlement.

The common understanding related to both sides officially agreeing to the progress made during the last 15 rounds of talks.

After his talks with Dai last month, Menon had said the common understanding meant where the two sides stand on critical issues.

The understanding, which is yet to be revealed, reportedly referred to several issues relating to the vexed dispute, which from India's point of view covered 3488 km while China claims that it is confined to 2000 km area in Arunachal Pradesh which it referred to as 'Southern Tibet'.

Asked about the agenda for the meeting tomorrow, Menon said, "Let the meeting take place."

Tomorrow's meeting is also significant as it will be Dai's last visit here as Special Representative and State Counsellor before his retirement in March.

He is the longest serving negotiator of China, who held talks with Menon's predecessors including Brajesh Mishra, J N Dixit and M K Narayanan.

Menon is also holding bilateral meetings with other delegation heads of the BRICS countries.

Dai also called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.