No disagreement with China on ‘border’ issue: India

Menon, who was in Beijing to attend the G-5 meeting of India, China, Mexico, South Africa and Brazil ahead of the G-8 summit of rich nations in Japan in July, said he discussed with them “what we can do and what we have been doing on bilateral relationship. Both sides have expressed satisfaction at the developments in relationship”.

Leaders of the two countries had given “very clear directives” on developing the strategic cooperative partnership as also the agreement on political parameters and guiding principles on the boundary dispute, he said.

“We have a large scale vision. It is more a question of translating it. We have a series of dialogue mechanisms on the boundary issue. We have Special Representatives”, he said.

Asked if any specific date had been fixed for the next round of talks between the Special Representatives on the boundary issue, Menon said, “Not yet. No dates yet”. The Special Representatives have held 11 rounds of talks so far. Menon, who also met Chinese State Councillor and Special Representative Dai Bingguo, disagreed with a suggestion that there was a stalemate on the boundary row.