Brajesh, Dai push limits for early border solution

Even though South Block is wary of discussing any 8216;8216;give and take8217;8217;in the Thursday talks, India has claims to 90,000 sq km area in Aksai Chin and China claims 90,000 sq km in Arunachal Pradesh.

The closed-door talks continued over two sessions but both sides were tight-lipped over what transpired. It is learnt that New Delhi also had plans to discuss the dispute along the 2,000 km Indo-China border, including the area west of Karakoram. Talks also included the 5,180 sq km of Shaksgam Valley that Pakistan ceded to China in 1963.

Tomorrow, Dai will call on PM A.B. Vajpayee and also meet External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha. The decision to appoint the special representatives was proposed by Vajpayee during his China visit in June this year and was promptly accepted by his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao.

South Block sources said the need to have a special representative dialogue was felt as the Joint Working Group, set up during Rajiv Gandhi8217;s visit in 1988, had diversified into other areas of bilateral cooperation. The Chinese team included its Ambassador to India Hua Junduo, Director General from Asia Department Fu Ying and Director General from the Policy Study Department Cui Tiantai, besides senior officials.