China says positive progress made in Sino-India boundary talks

China today said the latest round of boundary talks with India had yielded "positive progress" by upholding the need to maintain peace in border areas and giving a push to the process of framework negotiations to settle the longstanding border dispute.

The two days of boundary talks between Special Representatives -- National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon and Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo -- in New Delhi resulted in the signing of an agreement for setting up a mechanism to avert any untoward incident on the border.

The agreement was signed after two days of talks yesterday during which negotiators noted the importance of regular high-level exchanges and strengthening cooperation across different areas.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said the 15th round of talks had "candid and indepth exchange of views on border issues and (on) the maintenance of peace and stability in boundary areas, as well as bilateral relations".

"Both sides believe since the meeting, there has been positive progress and both sides agreed to push for the process of framework negotiations based on the political guidelines already reached on the border issue and seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution," Liu told a media briefing here.

He was replying to questions on whether any progress had been made in the just concluded talks.

Liu said the two sides reaffirmed that pending final solution they would uphold peace and stability of the border areas.

Though India and China have held discussions to resolve the border differences since 1980, the process got an impetus after the two countries agreed to hold talks by designated special representatives in 2003.

The two countries 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.

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