Date:08/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/08/stories/2005040807661200.htm

National

Border row: Chinese Minister coming tomorrow

By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 7. The Indian and Chinese Special Representatives, M.K. Narayanan and Dai Bingguo, tasked to hammer out a methodology to resolve the boundary dispute between the two countries, are scheduled to meet in the capital on April 10.

Mr. Dai, who is a senior Vice-Minister in the Chinese Government, is to arrive in New Delhi on April 9, official sources said this evening. According to the sources, India and China are close to agreement on a set of "guiding principles" to address the border dispute.

A point of interest is that the two Special Representatives will meet a day before the formal talks at the level of the Prime Minister, when a number of agreements are to be signed between the two countries. When Mr. Dai and Mr. Narayanan meet, it will be the fifth round of discussion at the level of Special Representatives since their appointment in June 2003.