New Delhi: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today (November 1) said Indian and China should be willing to take "some pragmatic decisions" for a final resolution of the boundary dispute.

"A final resolution of the boundary question will release considerable military energies and finances for other more purposeful activities," he told the armed forces top brass.

Vajpayee said, "It is therefore a strategic objective and to achieve it, we should be willing to take some pragmatic decisions."

Observing that Sino-Indian border has remained largely peaceful for the past few decades, the Prime Minister recalled his June visit to China during which both the countries agreed to raise their bilateral and other economic co-operation to a qualitative higher level.

"The decision of the two Governments to appoint Special Representatives to discuss the boundary question from a political perspective was a particularly significant measure," he said.

Touching upon New Delhi’s ties with Beijing, Defence Minister George Fernandes told the combined commanders' conference, "It is more stable at present but we can't ignore the fact that China and India are natural competitors in political and economic spheres.

PTI