Peng, PM agree to `delineate' LAC soon

Peng, PM agree to `delineate' LAC soon
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, Jan 15: In an important step towards addressing the boundary problem, India and China today agreed to complete the process of clarification of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) "as soon as possible."

This was decided at a meeting between visiting Chinese leader Li Peng and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee here. Both expressed satisfaction at the progress made in this process including the recent exchange of MAPS between the two sides in the middle sector.

During the 30-minute meeting, the two leaders agreed that there should be a greater exchange of high level visits between the two countries, an External Affairs Ministry spokesman told reporters.

Li extended an invitation to Vajpayee on behalf of Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji to visit his country. Vajpayee, while thanking him for the invitation, said India was expecting a visit from Rongji.

Vajpayee said India and China, as neighbours, had to solve all problems in a reasonable manner to the satisfaction of both parties.

The positive tone for the parleys was set by Vajpayee who in a statement on arrival from a two-nation visit on Sunday said "as two great civilisations and neighbours, India and China are engaged in the process of resolving, and putting behind us, past differences and forging a new and dynamic relationship for the 21st century for the benefit of our two countries and the world."

Asked about Army Chief S Padmanabhan's comments in an interview to Doordarshan that China's building up of infrastructure, including roads, near the LAC was creating "some problems", the MEA spokesman sought to downplay it.

He said both sides were satisfied with the 1993 and 1996 agreements on maintaining peace and tranquility along the border and confidence-building measures.

Under these agreements, a mechanism was already in place to address any problem related to the LAC. The spokesman said "in general, the border area is tranquil."

On the LAC clarification issue, he said MAPS had already been exchanged on the middle sector stretching from Himachal Pradesh to Uttaranchal.

Vajpayee also asked China, which would be soon joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO), to work together with India in the world body particularly on behalf of the interest of the developing country.